Posted on Tuesday, September 10, 2019
Now that summer is drawing to a close, this is a great time to be putting your home on the market. You’ll be wanting to get a head start over competing properties. To give your home the best chance possible of selling quickly and for the best price, there are basic rules to follow. Everyone knows this. Everyone? You’d be amazed. So many home-owners seem to think that they just need to put up a For Sale sign in the morning and, by tea-time, there’ll be a queue of willing buyers stretched half-way down the street. Maybe they’re taking that old saying that all that matters is ‘location, location, location’ just a little too literally.
There’s plenty more than simply location that counts towards a satisfactory sale. Let’s look at five fundamentals to give you the best chance of selling success.
The vast majority of prospective buyers form their opinion based on their first impressions - in fact from the very moment they walk in through the front door. So - take the time to tidy and clean-up the exterior of your home.
Tidiness and cleanliness are two things you just can’t cut corners with. Every single room needs to be immaculate. None more so than those high-impact rooms - the kitchen and bathroom. The surfaces and floors need to be thoroughly cleaned. A quick clean of the floors just before a buyer’s visit will work wonders, with that lovely fresh just-cleaned smell. Ideally, make sure those under-estimated rooms look good too. Cupboards need to be tidy and well-ordered. It doesn’t leave a great impression when a potential buyer opens a cupboard door and a stash of books, toys or clothes tumble out. Every extra 15 minutes you spend on tidying up could add thousands to the selling price or knock weeks off the time it takes to sell.
Is your kitchen or bathroom plagued by unsightly cracked tiles? Or maybe there’s a dripping tap in your sink? Failing to have these fixed will send negative messages to any potential buyers. They’ll be thinking, ‘If the stuff that’s visible has been so poorly maintained, what about the stuff we can’t see? The central heating? The electrics?’
Also, be sure to replace any damaged carpets, floors and sealant that has seen better days. Fix all those little issues and the difference will be huge.
An endless cluttered array of bric-a-brac and ornaments are a tremendous turn-off to potential buyers. The same goes for rugs on carpets. The answer is ‘simplicity sells’. A cluttered home feels disorganised and uncomfortable. It also feels small and cramped. Show off your home at its clear and spacious best.
Your potential buyer won’t be impressed by your way out tastes in décor. Maybe it’s a big investment but think about re-decorating throughout - especially those rooms with ‘heavy’ tones. The return on re-decorating in neutral magnolias and whites is almost incalculable. Your potential buyers will then be able to view your home and see themselves living in it, applying their own taste and style.
We always advise our sellers to follow these tips. But there’s plenty more you can do to give your home the best chance of selling successfully and quickly. Find out more.
Get in touch. We’d love to help.
Call us - 0121 7054040
Or send us an email - privilege@simonburthomes.co.uk
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Malvern House
New Road
Solihull
West Midlands
B91 3DL