When you’re selling your home, it’s important to take some steps to ensure you can get the best price for your property and also ensure a quick sale. By taking the time beforehand to get everything in order, you can make sure your house sale is stress-free..Below are our top tips for selling your house.
Clean Thoroughly
An easy way of putting your property in the best light and making it attractive to buyers is to give it a deep and thorough clean. A lot of people will skip this step when selling their home, or just give their property a routine clean. You can ensure your home stands out from the rest by cleaning it top to bottom, inside and out.
You should aim to get rid of any limescale, dust every corner of cobwebs, clean the tile grouting in the bathroom and kitchen, and scrub floors so they shine. If you have carpets, you could find it beneficial to spend money to get them professionally cleaned, and also get your curtains done too. You’ll want to get rid of any odours and make sure your home looks and smells as fresh as possible. You’ll then have to do what you can to keep it clean and tidy until it is sold.
Remove Clutter
Before people come to view your home, and before any marketing photos are taken, you should also remove as much clutter as possible. Clutter will always build up as part of your day-to-day life, but it’s important that potential buyers can see the property in the best light and not as someone else’s home. With less clutter the property will also look bigger, increasing its value. Decluttering can also help you to prepare for your own move, by getting rid of things you no longer need and making the transition to a new home easier.
You should get rid of, donate, or sell items that you no longer want or that are taking up valuable space. You could also use self-storage for items that clutter your current home but that you may still want in your next property. You should also look in your cupboards and clear them out as much as possible. Many buyers will check cupboards when they are viewing a property, so you don’t want them to be full, as it will look like there isn’t enough storage.
Improve the Kerb Appeal
First impressions definitely count, so you should ensure the kerb appeal of your property is at its best. That means tidying your front garden and de-weeding the path and driveway. You should make sure the front door is clean and attractive, and the windows are clean and well-maintained. The roof should also be in good condition.
You should look at your home from the street and see how it looks next to the other houses on the road. Take a note of anything that could be improved and make sure it’s fixed and cared for prior to viewings.
Fix Anything That’s Broken
Whilst you don’t have to spend a lot of money doing huge home improvements, you should make sure that anything that’s broken is fixed. This includes issues with any electrics, any leaks from the plumbing or in the roof, and problems with the flooring. These types of issues will always be highlighted in property surveys, which could cause a buyer to renegotiate to a lower price, or to pull out of the sale completely.
Taking the time and money to fix any issues before viewings means that you can ensure a quick sale, with no hold-ups down the line. You’ll also be able to get the maximum value from your property.
Depersonalise
You should aim to depersonalise your home so that any potential buyers will be able to imagine themselves living there. You can leave a little bit of personality, so it looks cosy and lived in and not like a generic show home, but not too much so it looks like someone else’s home.
If you can find a place to store them, take down family photos and any collectible items that you have. If you have rooms that are painted a bright colour, it might be best to repaint them to a more neutral tone that has a broader appeal. This can also help to give buyers a blank canvas on which they can imagine putting their own stamp. Depersonalising in this way can also help to make rooms look bigger and so will maximise the value of your home.
Properly Define Each Room
Over time, you might find that certain rooms take on another use that suits your particular lifestyle. For example, your dining room might have become a children’s playroom, or the spare bedroom might have become an office. However, you should aim to put these rooms back to their original purpose, as homes with certain rooms, like a dining room or second bedroom, are seen as more valuable than homes that don’t.
You should try to remove or store all items that are in a room that don’t fit the original function, so tidy children’s toys away and remove any furniture that isn’t appropriate. Not only will this help to maximise the value of your home, but it will also help to remove clutter and make the rooms look bigger.
Get the Right Asking Price
Starting with the right asking price can really help to speed up your property sale, by making sure it’s presented to the right buyers. You should do some research to see what similar properties in your area are currently being sold for.
You should also speak to some online estate agents and ask them to value your property. Many cash house buyers will overvalue your property to try to win your business – at We Buy Any Home, we always give a realistic price and never overvalue or over-promise.
If an estate agent overvalues your home with an asking price that is too high, you could find that people are put off even coming to view the property, meaning your home could be stuck on the market for months. A realistic asking price will mean you can sell your house fast.
Get Your Documents in Order
Delays in house sales are often caused when people do not have the right documents to hand when they are needed. You can help to overcome this by making sure you have everything prepared well in advance.
You should collect documents like the property title deeds, the energy performance certificate, building regulation certificates, electrical certificates, and recent utility bills. You may also need to complete certain forms, like a property information form and a fittings and fixtures form.
Choose the Right Estate Agent
Choosing the right estate agent to market and sell your home is vital to ensuring a quick house sale. You should research various estate agents and ask them exactly how they plan to market your home, what services they provide, and what their fees are. You should also ask them what your options are if they are unable to sell your home, and make sure you don’t sign into any long contracts with an estate agent.
Reassess If It’s Not Selling
If your property has been on the market for a while and you haven’t had any offers, you should speak to your estate agent to see what they think is going wrong. It may be that you need to reassess your asking price, or get better photos done for the property listing.
If you are unhappy with your house buyer, you should look at the contract to see what the terms are for giving notice and switching agent.
