Once you have had your Home Report carried out and you’ve signed a contract with an estate agent, you will need to prepare your property ready for viewings to give your house the best chance of selling for the best possible price. First impressions count so put yourself in the buyers’ shoes and think about how you can enhance your property’s appeal.
Consider the property’s ‘kerb appeal’ as this is the first thing potential buyers will see before they even get past the front door. Here are some things to consider:
- Does the front of your house need tidied up?
- Does the front garden look neat and tidy?
- Would the front door look better with a fresh coat of paint?
- Could the windows do with a clean or lick of paint?
The inside of the property needs to be viewed with a keen eye too:
- Keep it clean and tidy. De-clutter. Put unused or infrequently used items into temporary storage. Potential buyers will want to visualise how they can use the space
- Carry out any minor repairs that need doing prior to viewings so that potential buyers will need to really try hard to find any negatives
- If the property needs redecorating, consider using neutral tones so that the décor appeals to a wider audience and gives the appearance of having lots of natural light.
- Let the air in! Open windows an hour prior to viewings so that there are no stale odours lingering.
- Banish smoke or pet odours. Open windows, brew fresh coffee and add finishing touches such as fresh flowers to add appeal
- Bring out the best features such as fireplaces and consider using mirrors or lamps increase the sense of brightness and space.
Negotiating offers
You’ve done your viewings and received an offer, be prepared to negotiate. It is important to remember that you don’t always have to sell to the highest bidder. There could be potential buyers in a better position to move quickly, even if it means a slightly lower price for your property. Have a think about the following:
- Are they paying cash (if so, they won’t have wait for mortgage approval)?
- Do they already have a mortgage “agreed in principle”?
- Do they have a property to sell first? People who don’t have a property to sell first could be first-time buyers or investors or are in a short chain therefore able to move quicker
- Which bidders fit in with your timescales better than other buyers. Are you in a hurry to move?
If you are purchasing from a developer of new builds, there is a possibility they might offer a part exchange to buy your property from you.
Once you have accepted an offer on your property, you will likely be asked to take it off the market. It’s your decision, but if you do, ensure you tell the selling agent that if the sale has not progressed after a couple of weeks you’ll want it back on the market.
If the property’s not selling
- Call your sales agent and ask their opinion on why they think it’s not selling. Are they taking feedback from viewings?
- Ask your selling agent if they can consider a review of the marketing details i.e. brochure, either the content with details of the property or photos. They may be able to take a re-shoot either of the outside of the property on a nicer day i.e. sunny weather, or if you have made any interior changes since the initial photos were done.
- Is there anything your agent can do to feature your property in marketing portals such as a feature or limelight spot in the ESPC?
- Discuss with your selling agent if they think you should consider reducing the sale price or change from ‘offers over’ to ‘offers around’ or ‘fixed price’.
- If the property’s home report survey revealed any issues that might putting potential buyers off, consider having the repairs fixed.
If you need any help or advice with buying/selling or to have a Home Report carried out, do not hesitate to give our friendly team a call on 0131 608 0175 or email us at info@homereportcompany.co.uk
