UK Housing Market
I'm a property expert -
here's seven tips that will help your home sell quickly
Summer is said to be the most popular season for moving homes, this is down to the long days and warmer weather. So over the next six weeks, thousands of people across the country will be looking for ways to ensure their home sells quickly.
Selling your home is one of the most important, but also one of the most stressful moments in your life. However, it’s important to remember that buying a home is equally as nerve-racking. So it might take some time before someone builds the confidence to put in an offer.
To give you the best chance, Joshua Houston, Property Expert at Household Quotes has revealed seven tips that will help your home sell quickly.
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1. Light and airy
Buyers tend to notice the amount of sunlight that can get into the home straight away. Make your property look as bright as possible by opening the curtains and inside doors, as well as having a light colour-themed interior.
Bright rooms can make your home feel bigger than it actually is, which would really go your way as the seller. It can also work to your advantage for that all-important first impression, walking into a bright airy property will urge people to want your home a lot more. In the day of modern technology, you’ve got to take into consideration how photogenic the property is, it being lighter will look better on listing sites.
2. Declutter
If a home looks cluttered in its online photos or during the in-person viewing, this will put a lot of people off. This is because your clutter takes up space, making it harder for potential buyers to see the space available, and imagine their belongings there. Clean up your home to the best of your ability, and store clutter out of sight in either your cupboards, loft, garage or shed.
3. Nice smell
A first impression isn’t always what you see with your eyes, the smell is equally as important. Walking into a home for a viewing that has a nasty smell would cause some to walk straight back out again. To ensure your property smells as fresh as possible, in the days prior to viewings leave the windows open to allow odours to escape. Then a few hours before, invest in plug-in air fresheners to place around your home. You can also light candles for that extra nice scent. Don’t make something as little as the smell be the reason you lose out on a buyer.
4. Neat garden
Gardens are a huge plus for any home, however untidy front or back gardens could intimidate interested buyers. Seeing overgrown grass and bushes on listing sites or in person may persuade people that this is too much of a challenge for them to take on. To eradicate potential doubts in their mind, mow your grass and cut back any overgrown bushes. This will make the surrounding area of your house look neat and more attractive for those viewing it.
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5. Make your home feel lived in
A buyer needs to imagine themselves living in your home, a way you can make that easier for them is to make each room feel lived in. What I mean by this, is even though you don’t want your house to be cluttered you also don’t want it to be sparse. For example, lay out a chess set before viewers arrive, and keep important ornaments on the windowsills and cabinets. This will make your property seem more homely and cosy, which might be enough to convince a buyer to put in an offer.
6. Fresh paint
As much as you want to make your home feel lived in, you also don’t want it to look run down. One way you can ensure a fresh look is a few new coats of paint, you want your home to feel as if it’s ready to be moved into without any work required from buyers. Keep in mind the first point I made, try and choose brighter colours to get as much light into your home as possible. A fresh lick of paint is a great way of getting someone to get their out of their pocket and put in a bid.
7. Do repairs
Broken parts of your home have a long-lasting effect on those viewing, buyers might be put off if they see the cooker is damaged for example. Even if it doesn’t rule them out completely, it would reduce the selling price due to the money and effort that goes into installing a new oven. Holes and dents are common bits of damage to a home, make sure to fill them in and paint over them so viewers will not see any difference. Your aim is to make your property look as attractive as possible to a buyer, so cover every step.
Joshua Houston, Property Expert at Household Quotes:
‘’Selling your home can be a nervy time, you may have your heart set on another property, but can’t buy it until your house has sold.
People tend to be picky when it comes to potentially making an offer, which isn’t surprising as it is one of the most important decisions of their lives. Do your absolute best to make your home feel like theirs, cover every base and take away potential excuses buyers could make not to put in an offer.’’
Joshua Houston, Property Expert
