Tips & Advice On Selling A House or Apartment
Thinking of selling your home? Discover things you need to know about making it as stress-free as possible with these handy tips and advice.
Spring or early Autumn are traditionally the best time to market your property. Christmas is the worst.
First impressions are important, so check your kerb appeal: tidy the garden front and back, paint if needed and complete all the small jobs that make an impact. Make sure the house number or name is visible.
Ensure the view through each windows is appealing, clients often wander around the outside first. Rooms inside should be kept tidy.
De-clutter – consider putting some of your belongings into storage, tidy and clean, neutralise animal smells, get someone to take the kids and pets out during viewings.
Do your maintenance. Make sure everything in the house and garden works as it should and looks clean, maintained and well cared for.
Pools and Terraces – Make sure both are clean. free of debris and ready for use.
Finish any DIY Projects
Consider replacing kitchen cupboard doors and drawer fronts. Out-of-date bathroom suites can also let a property down, but you don’t have to spend a fortune: simply installing new taps or a new shower screen, and putting out nice new towels can make a big difference.
Paint – a fresh coat of paint can transform a room and bring it up to date.
Use the space – a double bedroom has more perceived value than a single, and a single bedroom has more value than a study, so show the rooms off to their best advantage to maximise their appeal.
House full of family photos? Remove them – your viewers need to imagine themselves living there, not you.
Clean, dust and tidy everywhere, open windows and create a nice fresh atmosphere. Yes, put that pot of coffee on.
Give nothing away to a prospective buyer which could be used against you.
Don’t take ages to consider any offer before responding – too long, and the buyer may lose interest.
Be aware of your position – if the market is rising and you have an attractive property in a popular area, then you are in a strong position and should not need to move too much on price. If the market is slow, then you may have to compromise a little, or risk losing your buyer and have to wait to find another.
How To Respond To Offers
Don’t dismiss an initial offer out of hand, even if it is lower than your expectations. Instead indicate the price range you want to be talking about and wait for the buyer’s response.
Make clear exactly what is and is not included in the house price.
When you accept an offer you are under no obligation to take your house off the market. Whether you do so or not is up to you, but you must advise the estate agent as to what you want to do. The real estate agent is legally obliged to tell you of new offers, right up to the point when you exchange contracts.