Want to get moving? Follow the advice of York home staging specialist Sarah Edmonds and you’ll soon be on your way
Nowadays the vast majority of buyers start their property search online, so you’re selling yourself short if your home doesn’t look its best in the agent’s promotional material.
There is a strategy to selling houses and a property that is priced, promoted and presented appropriately has the best chance of a sale. Investing in these 3 things will enable you to quickly sell your house and move onto your new life.
Imagine you’re a critical buyer seeing your home for the first time – what do you see? It is difficult to view your own home objectively, so why not ask a friend for honest feedback. It might hurt a little, but why wait to get negative viewer feedback to take action. Are you looking for a ‘move in ready’ home for your next step on the property ladder, because the vast majority of buyers are?
Living in a show home is difficult, particularly if you have children and pets. Staged homes sell quicker and for more money, so presenting your property well is your personal commitment to taking control of your future.
How you normally live in your home is very different to how you sell your home and it’s prudent to mentally move yourself out and consider your home a commodity for sale.
Below are the six key things to consider before putting your house on the market.
1. Kerb Appeal
Buyers make a decision about your home within a matter of seconds, so make sure they like what they see. The outside must be well cared for, tidy and clean. Aim to conceal unsightly things such as recycling bins and ensure any paintwork is in good condition. Clean your windows and make sure the neighbouring homes aren’t letting yours down. A manicured lawn and flowers or a box tree by the front door make the house more welcoming.
2. De-clutter
Start with one room and have a really good sort out. Be ruthless – moving house is a great opportunity to re-cycle, donate, sell or bin redundant items. Ask yourself ‘do I really want or need this? Am I keeping it out of guilt or nostalgia? Don’t stuff things in garages or cupboards as you’re aiming to create the impression of ample space and buyers will look in these places. You can rent a storage locker from pods.com which can be driven straight to your door and filled then taken away. Alternatively arrange to store your things off site with family or friends.
3. Clean
This one is absolutely crucial – you need to clean your home more thoroughly than you would normally clean. Kitchens and bathrooms must be spotless and mould free. Appliances, windows, taps and paintwork should gleam. You can always employ a professional cleaner so a quick half an hour tidy up and clean before viewings is all that’s required. Buyers can’t see past your dirt and it’s really off putting.
4. Fix
Remedy problem areas such as dirty paintwork, boxing in, wonky cupboard doors, broken door handles, peeling wallpaper, mouldy caulk, leaking taps etc. Buyers don’t want to inherit your to-do-list – moving house is stressful enough. The more you leave negative aspects noticeable to a buyer the lesser your chance of making a sale, let alone selling for your asking price. The cost of repairs is generally less than a buyer will mentally deduct from the value of your home and fixing problems highlights the house has been looked after, which is very re-assuring, particularly to first time buyers.
5. Smell
The smell of someone else’s cat litter tray, dog bed, blocked drains or last night’s curry aren’t very pleasing to the senses and can lead the potential buyer to think about replacing the carpets. When selling your home the safest bet is to make it smell fresh and clean. Having your carpets professionally cleaned is affordable and makes an enormous difference to the look and scent of your home. Again ask friends what they can smell when the walk in your home as it’s difficult to be objective as one rarely notices the smell of their own home.
6. Stage
Dressing your property is the fun part and remember to style with your target market in mind. Ideally you would create a dining area even if you don’t have a room dedicated solely to dining. If you’re a couple living in a house likely to be sold to a family, dress a spare bedroom for a child. Establish where the focal points are in a room and ensure these areas are visually appealing. A vase of fresh flowers can really lift a room and won’t break the bank.
- Sarah Edmonds of sheDECO provides a valuable and bespoke service to home sellers. Her services range from giving advice to fully dressing homes for sale
- Please get in touch by email or ring 07876 680678 for further information or to book a consultation