For most of us selling our homes only happens on average every fifteen years that’s what most up-to-date statistics tell us! and therefore we can be forgiven for not being “experts” at preparing a home for sale! So here we will share some ideas, look at how to approach it and what can be achieved in making sure that your home is looking at its’ very best….WHEN you decide to show your home to the waiting buying public, anxious to see what your home has to offer!
Invite a local trusted estate agent to look at your home
We are bound to say that aren’t we! But in all truthfulness, anyone selling a home should ask for advice, as without some fundamental knowledge it will be more of a challenge to prepare your home for sale. Why? To begin with you will need to know who is most likely to buy it (see point 2), what price will I achieve? Can I even afford to move – what are the costs? What can I buy? When should I sell to get the very best price? These are just a few essential questions that you will need answered….. by an agent that you like and can trust.
Your target market – “who is most likely to buy your home”?
It is crucial to understand who your buyer may be, as only then can you ensure that your home is finished and dressed to match expectations! Whilst we are not “stereo-typing” here it is fair to say that certain demographics will look for certain features as a standard or at least have them in their “must have” list of wants. For example a younger buyer looking to “work from home” will almost certainly have Fast broadband, at the top of his/her list! Retired buyers will almost certainly look for a level “easy” to maintain garden – so let’s ensure that it is easy!
Be realistic and set your budget
Once you have an idea of who you are seeking to appeal to you, it is then that you can set about organising and finishing your home inside and perhaps out, to ensure that you are presenting a home that matches expectations. You must however be realistic about what you can achieve, both financially and from a time perspective, it will be tough to deliver on everything – just ensure that you have attended to the key points and your agent should be pleased to guide you accordingly.
First impressions count
That is a well-used statement, but how true it is. It matters not who your target buyer is ALL of them want to be “wowed” by the front of your home and the impact of your front door! So it is well worth a freshen up with a lick of paint, polished door furniture and yes the welcome of hanging baskets or plants by the threshold it says WELCOME and it sets’ the tone for the viewing.
Domestic bliss
It is fair to say that most buyers look for clean, un-cluttered domestic areas – it really is worth spending time in your kitchen, utility and bathroom areas to ensure that they look and dare I say, smell, at their very best. Look at it the same way you would if you sold your car – you would wash it, polish it and place an air freshener on the mirror! Actions like this can only help you achieve a better buyer, more quickly!
Why did you buy the house you’re selling?
It’s easy to forget the very good reasons why you bought the house your agent is now selling! With that in-mind, TELL THEM! Most of us will have spent many hours sifting through sales brochures and viewing properties, before we find the ideal home. We may have had ten things that were important to us BUT perhaps only 4 that we MUST HAVE. So be sure to tell your agent or the potential buyers what they were – it could be the little golden nugget that sells your home!
The price has to be right!
It is possibly THE most important part of selling a home – the price! More-so now than at any point in the past, do potential buyers have access to historical “data”, in other words sales prices. With this in mind your asking price has to be carefully considered to ensure that your home is seen by the right buyers! Don’t look at what is for sale as your comparison, look at what has sold! It is very difficult to value a home down to £50 – so set a “guide price” let the market decide. As long as the Guide is “in the market” buyers will find your home – finally, there is merit in pricing with round figures i.e. £300,000, rather than £299,950 – this because portals like OnTheMarket & Rightmove use round figures when they provide a match for buyers!
Webbers are your local property experts for Devon, Cornwall and Somerset area and we can help you.