By preparing your property correctly can mean the difference between selling your property or having it on the market for a long period of time. Therefore before you have any potential buyers to view your property make sure you have covered the following.
- Complete any small DIY jobs such as painting.
- Clear away any clutter. If possible store it off-site.
- Air the property by opening windows and purchasing a few air fresheners. Also remember that some buyers may be allergic to pets so make sure that all signs of animal smells and hair are removed.
- If any of the rooms have very bright colours or carpets, you may want to neutralise them. This does not mean go out and buy expensive carpet.
- Get carpets professionally cleaned.
- If your bathroom or kitchen looks tired then by applying some of the following practises will make a difference.
- Re-paint the ceiling and walls.
- Clean, re-grout any tiled areas that are going black.
- Cut lawns.
- Make sure front door is immaculate as first impressions count.
- De-personalise by removing personal items such as family photos until the property is sold.
- Choose the correct lighting for each space which can improve the mood of the room.
- Organise rooms so that there purpose can be seen.
During this process always remember that you have now decided to sell your property and not to get personal about any changes, as the changes that you implement are to attract the widest possible buyers.
“What do I have to do to sell this house?”
That’s a fair question. You want to sell your own home, but worry that potential buyers won’t see the charm you’ve worked so hard to create. The problem you face is not that your style or tastes are wrong but rather that not everyone likes the same colors, styles or finishes. In order to sell your own home, you will need to invest some time, effort and even some money. The following home selling tips, implemented in a few relatively inexpensive and effective ways, can mean more positive interest from home buyers, resulting in a faster, higher-priced sale.
In order to “sell this house,” the first step is to neutralize your home’s interior. The idea is to remove anything that you love, but others may find “strong” or objectionable. Don’t think of it as “white-washing” all of the character out of your house but rather as resetting the canvas for the next artist. Buyers will visualize themselves in a new place more easily if they see a workable canvas. Unless a professional interior designer/decorator did your home, it’s probably better to paint your walls a neutral color and clear off countertops and tables. Neutralizing both the vertical (walls) and horizontal (countertops) planes will also make the space feel more open, which is one of the top considerations of buyers. If your home’s interior is already neutral, find your left over wall paint and touch up any scuff marks. You’ll be surprised at how much better it looks with fresh paint.
While we’re inside, walk through each room with a critical eye. When you’re selling a house, you have to see things differently. Notice if there are any distinct aspects of your home that a potential buyer may find offensive. If you list your home with an experienced Estate Agent or online selling Estate Agent, they will easily be able to (and should) point such things out. While you may not be bothered by the smell of smoke or the prize buck head over the fireplace, some buyers will walk away the second they notice such things. If you want to “sell this house”, pull the drapes back, open the windows and smoke outside for a few days and maybe tuck the buck into a closet when you prepare to show your home.
Enhance the Features
The next step is to take the best features of your house from exciting to stunning. I remember seeing an aging Victorian several years ago. The homeowners had done a fine job renovating and the best feature of the house was the library, which they had converted into a theater complete with velvet curtains, custom cabinetry and prime lighting. The rest of the house could have been in fair condition and the theater would have carried the deal.
The key is to choose two, maybe three, features where you can focus your efforts. Once you’ve decided which features or rooms to enhance, set a budget of time and money that you are willing to spend. Look for halogen wire lighting system at your local home-improvement store. They are surprisingly simple to install and once in place, offer special effects, which can enhance any room in your home. Another, slightly more involved, option would be to replace the linoleum in your kitchen with tile.
One of the best things you can do for your home is to enhance its curb appeal. Selling a house is all about first impressions, so don’t neglect the exterior of your home, whether it’s paint, roof repairs or gutters. But pay special attention to the landscaping. Remove any tired-looking plants and flowers and replace them. Spending a few hundred dollars on some new shrubs, flowers and mulch will make a statement about your home that will go far beyond what you spend. All this will be returned to you in the form of a higher price, a faster sale or both.
Define the Potential
While the first two tips deal with walls, countertops, and permanent fixtures, this final step addresses items you will probably take with you when you move, but their presence in photographs and showings will tie the rooms together and ultimately show the buyer that your house is alive.
Put a vase of fresh flowers in the kitchen or a hang a cluster of pictures on an otherwise empty and bare wall. Place a few lighted candles around the house and tune a radio in each room to the same soft-music station. Baking bread or cookies just prior to a potential buyer’s arrival is a brilliant move, a touch extreme but it works !!.
“My house doesn’t look like those show homes I see in other subdivisions,” you say. That doesn’t matter. These general ideas can be implemented to various degrees. It all depends on how much time you are willing to invest. And as with any project, set realistic and attainable goals for yourself so that you don’t get blindsided by a major project that’s beyond your ability or means.
To sell your own home, you must make an investment in the sale. This applies whether or not you employ the services of a Estate Agent or online selling Estate Agent. Selling a house is much easier when the home is ready to be sold.
Viewing Day.
Have a diary set-up so that you can manage your viewings. For each potential buyer make sure that you have taken their name and number just in case you have to re-arrange the appointment, and also in case they are late and have just got lost.
Before a viewing
- Have a print out of your property details as they may want to take this away.
- A blank piece of paper so that you can take any notes while you are showing the buyers around.
- Know how much the council tax is.
- Know how much a quarterly gas and electric bill is.
- Know how much your water and sewage rates are.
- All the doors are shut so that you can present the room to them. If all the doors are open it is too much for someone to take in all at once.
- You have planned a route through the property.
- Your have prepared your property.
- Any pets are out of the way as some people are allergic or uncomfortable with animals.
- If a flat know how much the maintenance and if applicable ground rent are.
Showing the people around
- Always lead the buyers through the property. Therefore when you open a door to the room you enter first, pointing out all the positive points of the room.
- If a room is to small to fit everybody in then allow the buyers to enter the room while you stand outside pointing out all the positive points.
- During the course of viewing gather some information about the buyer for example.
- Are they a first time buyer
- Are they in a chain and how many in the chain.
- Do they have to get a mortgage and if so have they got an amount authorised.
By gathering information about the buyer, may determine who you sell to if you have several offers.
After a Viewing
After 2 days if the potential buyer has not contacted you then contact them to see if they are interested, or ask the agent who will help you as much as they can, and if not just to get some constructive feedback.
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