Selling your home is far more complicated than just popping into an estate agent and putting it on the market. You need to think carefully about it beforehand to ensure that you get a good price for your home. Here are seven things that you need to do before you sell.
- Repaint in neutral colours
It might seem like a trivial matter, but home décor is one of the first things that buyers will notice about a property. Even if it’s just something that is down to personal taste, specific colours or unusual furnishings can put off a buyer or make them appreciate a property less. It is always a good idea, then, to take the time to repaint any garish or unusual colours in your home so that they are neutral. Of course it may mean living in the home without your personal style attached to it for a few months, but it is definitely worth it if it nets you a keen buyer.
- Get your home inspected
Reports and surveys are usually something that we only imagine buyers having carried out, but they can be extremely important for sellers too. It may be a situation where you will need to have a survey carried out if you have specific concerns over an area of the house. For example, if you are worried about issues surrounding damp, you could look into the various damp surveys available.
It is likely that any buyer will also have some sort of buying report commissioned, so already having one prepared can be useful for a variety of reasons. Firstly, it makes you aware of any problems so that it doesn’t come as a surprise when a potential buyer announces that they aren’t willing to meet your valuation because of damp concerns. Secondly, it gives you the chance to correct any problems before you sell, avoiding this issue entirely.
- Take care of the little home improvements
Sometimes it can be the small things that really add up to a huge difference when it comes to property sales. It might seem counterintuitive to be carrying out lots of home improvements just as you are about to leave, but it can actually make a huge difference to the eventual sale price.
Even if you don’t have the time to carry out all of those DIY projects you have been meaning to get around to, it is actually usually worthwhile to hire a handyman or builder to come in to get a few things done. You might have to pay for a day or two of labour, but you will more than recoup this cost back when you sell the property. Ultimately, this means it is worth it from a cost perspective.
- Choose the right estate agent and solicitor
Undoubtedly the two most important decisions you need to make when you come to sell are the estate agent and the solicitor. A good estate agent will know how to add value to your home and sell it properly, ultimately making you a better profit on the sale. However, you also need to be aware of the different rates of commission. Get a few different estate agents to quote their costs to you so that you can make a judgement based on the facts.
Getting the right solicitor is equally important. A slow solicitor can draw out the selling process which is frustrating and can even impede your sale if you have an impatient or time-dependent buyer. It is always best to go on recommendations from people who you trust.
- Declutter your home
Clutter in the home is another factor that seems irrelevant but it can surprisingly put off a lot of buyers. If a home is messy when they come to see it, they can subconsciously come away with a poor opinion of the property. Make it as easy as possible for your potential buyer to fall in love with the property – thoroughly declutter any time that you are going to have viewings.
- Deep clean
Additionally, it is very smart to give your home a thorough deep clean before you sell. A clean and sparkling home will really impress buyers. When it comes to selling a property, first impressions can make a huge difference. If you won’t get the time to carry out a full deep clean before you sell, it’s worth hiring a professional cleaning business to do it for you. Once again, the small outlay you will pay for the cleaning will be more than paid back when you sell at a higher price.
- Get the paperwork ready
Finally, it important to get your paperwork ready before you sell. There is nothing more stressful that frantically trying to find specific documents that the sale depends on or having to get new copies sent out to you. Before you put your home on the market, ensure that you can collected all of the important documents that will be required by your solicitor.
