There are three principal strategies to consider when it comes to marketing for the most valuable, unique country properties in the UK.

Whether it’s a wonderful village house, contemporary new build, historic mansion used in film sets, sporting estate, outstanding vineyard or state-of-the-art equestrian property, the selling agent will provide a carefully planned marketing strategy which ties in with the seller’s objectives.

Understanding the owner’s objectives when it comes to a sale is the first step for an agent to establish. Does the client want to achieve the highest possible sale price, a sale within a certain time frame, find a particular type of buyer, or ensure a completely discreet sale out of the public eye? Or is it a combination of the above?

The three principal strategies that can be adopted for the sale of a prime country property are:

Private placing

The selling agent approaches a small number of qualified buyers on a very discreet basis, often without full, formal marketing material. This is only successful where the agent has a list of active or ‘hot’ buyers stemming from their network of contacts and a proven and recent track record of similar sales at that level of the market.

Private placing is only used for a very small number of sales each year. For a buyer to hear about this type of opportunity they would already be registered with the agent, have been actively viewing or bidding on properties and be in a position to buy fairly imminently. Quite often a private placing requires a confidentiality agreement to be signed by the parties approached.

Private marketing

Usually a sales brochure is produced and the net is widened to include all buyers registered with the selling agent, buying agents and known intermediaries, but the property is not actively promoted online (website or portals) or in print. To hear about a property being marketed in this way a buyer must ensure they are registered with selling agents including details of the type of property and location required.

Open marketing

This is the most common strategy because it ensures a property is exposed to the whole market place. Typically the details for the property will be shared with registered buyers and buying agents representing buyers prior to the public launch and a carefully planned marketing campaign would follow with online promotion, print advertising and in some cases a PR campaign.

The selling agent will have discussed the best possible marketing strategy for the property based on the sellers’ objectives.

Some high-profile owners will prefer to use a private marketing strategy. Similarly, if a business is run from the property such as an events or equestrian business, then the owners may prefer to have a private marketing strategy in order to minimise any disruption.  However, there are some owners and sellers who require the transparency of a full, open market process such as a sale on behalf of trustees, a charity or public body.  

There are cases where a premium price can be secured by a private campaign but in our experience the greater the exposure a property has the greater the likelihood of reaching all potential buyers including those based overseas and the best possible result achieved.

Further information

Contact Savills Rural