When it comes to moving house, part of the anxiety for many homeowners is the unknown aspect of selling their current property. Will it sell? Will I get what I need for the next property? Will I be on the market a while? Will I lose a buyer and have to find another? There is undoubtedly a lot of anxiety hot spots when buying and selling houses.
We recently have done the whole process of selling and buying, and damn, it was stressful. But it wasn’t the selling that was the hard part for us. No, and that’s simply because we lined our ducks in a row to make the whole experience a heck of a lot less stressful. We sold quickly and within 3 days of being on the market, at full asking. Here’s how we made everything plain sailing so we could sell quickly.
Prep your home
Whilst many would believe you don’t need to do anything extra to your home to help it sell, buyers can be stupid. Some can’t see past the straggly wallpaper, dirty floors or cluttered spaces. So, making it easy for every potential buyer will be your best bet. Now, you don’t need to overhaul your whole property, but there are some things you should look at doing before getting that agent in.
Touch ups
Scuffs along the hallway, marks from the kids playing, food splatters in the kitchen. All these should be touched up. Making your home look neat, tidy and above all else looked after, will help any buyer realise your home is a gem that is loved.
De-clutter
Oooo there is nothing worse than looking around a property you hope will give you more space and realising its full of crap. Clear yours out so any potential buyers dont feel like your home lacks space and storage. Plus, de-cluttering now means when you come to pack, your only packing the stuff you want and need.
Clean
You would be surprised how many homes I walked into as an agent that were dirty. This is so off-putting for any buyers, especially when it deters away from the home. A stinky smell will be all they think of when they view.
Stage
Like its going in a home interior magazine. I would highly advise this for the pictures and viewings. Making your home the best presentable self is vital in helping buyers visulise living there. Buy fresh flowers, brew some coffee and plump the cushions. Think of how good show homes feel and do the same in your home.
Pick the right agent
Now your home is ready to hit the market you need a stella agent that is going to sell the socks off your property. With property portals doing most of the work, you should pick a agent that will make it stand out from the hundreds of other listings.
Look at their photography, see if they offer floor plans, virtual tours, video content. It’s also worth reading the description. Lazy agents with lousy phone camera images will not help your property pop on Rightmove. Virtual tours and property videos are hugely popular, especially considering covid can stop people from viewing many properties. They can give a great insight into the home and whilst many agents would say it can limit viewings, it will encourage those that have watched the video and like what they see view!
When it comes to having a property valuation, make sure you get 3 different agents in. This will help you get an average price of your property. Bare in mind, some agents like to over price to grab your property from their competitors. Always consider why their valuation may be higher. Whilst it might sound nice, usually these figures are hugely inflated and these agents will then advise you to drop the price to gather interest. Remember, dropping the price is visible on property portals and isn’t a good selling point.
Ask lots of questions also. Consider the time you will have to be on with them if you don’t sell. Some agents require a 12 week period which is a long time to sit stale mate on the market. Read reviews, look at their selling stats and check the properties they have on the market.
Gather the information
Once you have your agent picked, now is a great time to get some of the important information ironed out. Things like ground rent cost, maintenance charges, lease details, boundary information, any covenants, council tax bands ect. Some potential buyers will ask these questions before putting in an offer so its worth while knowing the answers. Plus, it makes it easier when gathering information for the solicitors too.
Inform your financial adviser
Hopefully you’ve already crunched the numbers, but it’s worth making sure your financial adviser is ready and waiting for when you need to offer on a property. Be sure you know how much you need to sell for, and your budget too.
Chase your agents
Once you are on the market, be sure to keep in regular contact with your agents. Check the listing on the property portals and get anything changed if you are not happy. When any viewings are conducted, request feedback at the nearest opportunity. Understanding what may be an issue is wise and can mean you can change something quickly to help move things along.
Selling your property quickly is only achieved when doing all of the above. Most importantly, it’s choosing the correct agent. Be realistic with valuations and don’t go for the crazy, wild, high figure. Knocking the price down will only make buyers wonder what is wrong with your property.
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