What sells a property?

Selling a house has been made to look simple by some of the popular television programmes that encourage vendors to switch on the coffee maker and give the front lawn a trim. Although these aren’t the only things you need to do in order to sell your home, small touches are a good starting point to making your home more appealing. Some of the easiest things you can do when you are trying to sell your own home are:

·    Let the light in.

Take full advantage of all of the windows in your property. Open curtains and blinds as much as you can, and remove net curtains if it’s not too much hassle, but only at windows where there isn’t an unpleasant view. Even if a viewing is during the day and in the summer, turn on lights and lamps to illuminate the positive features of your property.

·    De-clutter

If you are selling your house it means you will be moving soon, so box up any clutter that you can live without for a while to make your property seem more spacious to potential buyers.

·    Bring the outdoors in.

If you have a garden with flowers, take some cuttings and put them in a vase in a prominent place. This may well strike up a conversation about your well stocked garden giving you the chance to make a statement that you are “sad to sell my property” as you have enjoyed the garden so much. If the weather is good, opening doors and windows to the garden will create a fresh and spacious feel to the house.

·    White wash

Bright colours and patterned wall paper are not too everyone’s taste and can make a room appear smaller than it actually is. Sell your house for its true size by redecorating personalised rooms with neutral colours like white or magnolia, giving potential buyers a blank canvas to invite and induce their imagination.

Presentation Skills

Visually “merchandising” a house is fairly straightforward. When you decided “I want to sell my home myself” you may have thought about what you would say to people to encourage them to want to buy the property. What you say and do during a viewing can be a very important factor in selling your home.

Good practice for selling property

Rather than just selling the structure, good estate agents sell house hunters a lifestyle. Some things to remember when talking about your house beyond its interior are:

·    Neighbours

Talk about the benefits of having, (or not having) neighbours; taking into account their proximity your property. In a flat, it can be a useful security feature to have a neighbour you can rely upon, as well as a neighbour who is quiet.

·    Schools

If you are trying to sell your house to a family, it is always good to talk about the journey and distance to the nearest school, and some things that your child enjoys about going to that school.

·    Facilities

Take some time to let the potential buyers know about any good facilities in the area such as local shops or supermarkets, train stations, pubs and leisure facilities such as parks and gyms.

Bad practice when selling a property

There are some things that you should avoid doing when trying to sell your house. House Simple will have provided you with the perfect foundation to attract buyers who are looking for the type of property that you have, so the last thing you want to do it put them off.

·    Not showing every room

Anyone that has taken the time to book a viewing with you will want to see the entire house. If you have a room that is messy or has some damage in it, you must still show it to potential buyers to show that you have nothing to hide.

·    Being dishonest

Not many of us are good at telling lies. Potential buyers are already tuned in to things people lie about when selling a house. If a question is asked to you directly, be honest, and a potential buyer is much more likely to trust you enough to want to make a reasonable offer.

·    Taking things personally

If a potential buyer comments that they don’t like your choice of carpet or a feature that you have added to the property, don’t take offense or react. They are not judging you as a person; they are simply weighing up everything in their purchasing choice, which is a good sign. If someone is thinking about replacing carpets, it is probably because they are thinking about moving in.

Well thought out and well conducted viewings are likely to lead to that all important house sale. Once the viewings are over, it's not quite time to relax. You need to get an offer on your house and to accept that offer. Until the completion date, the buyer could still change their mind so it is important that the contractual stage of selling your house is given the correct amount of care and attention. Make sure that you think about the following after you have finished a viewing:

·    Be available for feedback

Make sure you are available for Housesimple to call you once they have spoken with anyone that has viewed your home. Receiving feedback on your viewings will help you to find out if there is anything preventing your home from selling.

·    Invite second viewings

As you conclude a viewing with a potential buyer, make them aware that they are welcome to return for a second viewing and all they need to do is call. You'll be making it easier for them to make up their minds by allowing them to bring a friend or family member back with them.

·    Respond quickly to offers

Have in your mind the lowest figure and worst terms you will accept prior to marketing your house. That way you will be able to say yes or no to any offers quickly, allowing potential buyers more time to rethink and negotiate their offer to give you the best possible deal

To start selling your home privately today, call our customer service team at Housesimple on 0845 603 9909.

·       How to Sell Your House Online

·       Private House Sales Explained

·       Estate Agents Fees Explained

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