Selling Guide
When you’ve decided you’re ready to move, you’ll be eager to sell as quickly as possible. The right estate agent will help you sell your property efficiently but there are a number of things that you can do to entice buyers too. Here are some tips:
First Impressions Count
Potential buyers often make a decision about a property even before they’ve walked through the front door so make sure your property has that all important ‘kerb appeal’. Tidy front gardens, ensure paths are free from weeds, clean your windows and give your front door a lick of paint. Complete any little repair jobs that are needed on the outside of your property.
Finish DIY Projects
Unfinished decorating or renovations can really turn off potential buyers. So get those DIY projects finished as quickly as possible. If you’re struggling to find the time to do it yourself, it could be a wise investment to employ a professional decorator or handyman to help.
Tone Down your Personality
If your home is packed full of family photographs, souvenirs from holidays or quirky artwork, you might want to remove some from display whilst you are having viewings. It’s important for potential buyers to be able to imagine themselves living in your property and this can be difficult if you have unusual tastes or lots of personal items on display. Think about decluttering wherever possible.
Furnish Rooms Properly
Is your dining room currently being used as an office? Perhaps you’ve turned your third bedroom into a music room. Well, whatever the intended purpose of a room is, make sure it’s presented that way. For example, rooms that are being advertised as bedrooms should be furnished as such with a bed and wardrobe so that viewers can see how they would use each room. Even if you have to go out and buy a low-cost bed, it will be worth it. This is particularly important if you have small bedrooms – without a bed in place, viewers may be suspicious that the room isn’t big enough to be used as intended.
Hide the Pets
Not everyone is an animal lover and signs of a dog or cat can be really off putting for some viewers. Hide pet baskets and food bowls whilst viewers are looking round and if possible, arrange for your pet to be outside, or away from the home during the viewing.
Respond Promptly
Remember that viewers are often looking at several different properties, so it’s important to respond promptly to queries and offers. If you hang around too long, potential buyers may lose interest in your property.
Talk to the Experts
Once you’ve found a buyer, it’s important that the next steps progress quickly. It’s a good idea to talk to a solicitor as soon as you’ve put your house on the market so that you can make a head start on important processes such as arranging surveys.
For advice about marketing your property to its full potential, or to arrange a free valuation, give us a call on 0208 682 5100, or email: info@globaleagents.com
