Having read an article this week from a “trusted” source advising it’s readers that by naming your house you could increase it’s value by up to £45,000 we thought it would be sensible to give some realistic advice in our opinion about how to actually get the best nett result for your home. Giving your home a pretentious name will honestly not make any difference at all.
It is not about tricks or hiding things from buyer but it is about putting yourself in the best situation to market your house. There are lots of different opinions about how to do this but with collectively over 30 years of sales experience this is our advice about what makes a marginal difference.
1. Prepare your home for sale
We can’t emphasis this enough. Clear out the clutter, depersonalise and freshen it up. If you know your house has just too much furniture and nik-naks then now is the time to put them in storage and clear the way. Don’t forget you may love it and it is absolutely to your taste but you are not buying your own home. It is important to create a neutral space that viewers can imagine putting their own stamp on. 2. Fresh Air Open windows and invest in plug ins, scented candles and diffusers. This is true for every home but more so if you have animals or anyone still smokes inside. It is also important that if you or a family member does smoke, from the moment you decide to market your home you must go outside. We now live in a country where even pubs and bars don’t smell of smoke so it is something people are really sensitive too. 3. DIY You may only have one wall to paint, small amount of bathroom tiles to grout or a window ledge to replace and these might be very small tasks but in a potential buyers mind the property obviously “needs work” and you can expect them to at least attempt to negotiate on the price accordingly. 4. Service the boiler During the conveyancing process there is often an attempt to renegotiate the price and any reason can be used. We would always recommend that certificates including boiler service history, Fensa certificates and any damp course guarantees are readily available to prove regular maintenance on your home and that you have cared for it and all aspects are in good working order. 5. Marketing your property right Presenting your property for viewings is one important aspect but getting as many viewers as possible is another. We take real pride in our photographs and descriptions and know that making sure a floor plan comes as standard with every property online is an absolute must in generating the maximum amount of potential buyers to your door. In addition we always feel it is important that you meet our team so you can feel confident in their ability to build relationships with the applicants registered to buy a house as getting to know our potential buyers will lead us to recommend the right property to the right buyer. The more potential buyers there are the more competition there is which will get you the best price for your house. 6. Don’t get hung up on fees Well we would say that wouldn’t we? But it is true. Online agents are mainly service providers. That means they are prepared in the main to give you a flattering valuation to win your business and then just put it on line. If someone sees the property and books a viewing then you are lucky and if you get an offer luckier still. They are typically targeted for how many properties they list and how many sales they have. They are not targeted for how much they achieve for you. The best course of action is to speak to a local agent with a proven track record of selling your type of home in your area. We would always give an honest appraisal of your property and aim to beat your expectations on what price can be achieved. In addition we have a trained and fully qualified sales progressor who will help you through the entire conveyancing process and enable you to stay on track and achieve the best result.
Important Information
All property sales and the financial advice that surrounds them are as unique as the people engaging in the transaction. It is important to not make a decision without seeking professional advice. If you want to sell your home and are considering redecorating before marketing, speak to one of our Property Professionals to get the best advice for presenting your home for sale before making any investment.