Selling House : Things to Improve

lessonlearned

N|cky wrote: »

I need to put my house on the market in 2013 but want to maximize the amount of money I can sell it for. As I am a first time seller, I need all the tips I can get my hands on.

What are the little things that put people off buying a house? Also what money saving things can be done to boost the appearance of the house?

Helpful List :

1. De-clutter, opens up space

OK - here goes.

Before I start I am a retired Property Sales Negotiator with 30 years experience selling and letting houses.

Further more I have just sold my house in 3 weeks. The proof of the pudding and all that. I know my stuff and I am unapologetic about this. It was my job and I was good at it.

So here are my top tips. Sorry if I offend anyone with my bluntness.

The first thing you need to remember is exactly what Googler said.

From the moment you decide to put your house on the market it becomes a product just like any other. It has to be presented well and marketed just like any other product.

Take your heart out of the equation and use your head. From now on selling your house has to be a business transaction.

It's no longer "your home" - mentally you're out of there.

This is where the decluttering and redecorating process helps. It's great psychology - preparing your home for sale turns it from a home to a house. It helps you prepare yourself mentally and emotionally for what will be a huge change in your life.

You want the best price you can get so forget all the photos, memorabilia, fluffy toys on the bed, tacky seaside ornaments, that hideous vase your aunty gave you. All that personal paraphenalia just gets in the way.

"Let the dog see the rabbit".

Trust me on this one The average buyer has no imagination and cannot see the wood for the trees. You need to spell it out for them. Only professional property developers or the more artistic among us can spot the true potential of a house.

So declutter, redecorate as necessary, fix all those niggling outstanding diy jobs and dress your house for success.

Your dress yourself for a job interview or a hot date so dress your house for the market.

The second thing to remember is

who is your target market.

Would you open a shop if you didn't know who your potential customers were. Of course not.

You need to know who are your most likely buyers and then target them.

You need to sell them the lifestyle.

So if you are selling a city centre flat, then your target buyer is a fairly affluent young professional. They want style, cool sophistication and glamour.

If you live in the suburbs in a 3/4 bed house then you buyers are likely to be a family. They also want style but they also want space, storage, practicality, security, warmth and comfort. A long list of requirements there.

Go and take a look around showhouses that are similar in price and size to your property and who are targeting your potential buyers. See how they present their properties, see what they are up to and pinch some of their ideas.

Obviously you cannot do a straight copy of what they are offering but you can ride on their coat-tails by copying some of their ideas.

What are the latest colours, trends etc.

So now you know what your competition is up to - when you've neutralised your decor - just add a few accessories and soft furnishings etc in the latest trendy colours and patterns and there you are. You will have an instant update for very little outlay.

A rough guide is 1% of your asking price. If you are canny, shop wisely and don't rush then you can do it for a lot less.

You will easily recoup your outlay by getting the best possible price for your property. You also get to keep most of the new things you have bought to take with you when you leave.

Don't forget to further save yourself some money by haggling down the fees for your estate agent. If the EA won't budge on their fees, then keep going until you find one who will.

Before you even put your house on the market have all your paperwork, certificates, building regs, guarantees etc ready to go so as not to cause delays and hold up the sale.

Think like a developer, not a homeowner.

Marketing your home in a professional manner will not make you appear desperate but you will get the sale and you will maximise your profit.

You can then move on to your next property and create your home just as you want it - photos, cuddly toys, tacky ornaments and all.

You can even put those garden gnomes back out again if you want to.:rotfl:

lessonlearned

moneyistooshorttomention wrote: »

Don't agree with that. Your home is STILL your home until the day you move out. We all know anyway that a fairly-priced (as opposed to cheap/bargain price house) may take a few months to sell. I know I've made some concessions to the spoilt buyers of 2012/2013 in the way I'm getting my home ready for sale (ie doing a lot more decluttering/cleaning than I would in more "normal" houseselling times - to allow for that "spoiled factor") BUT there is a limit to this and these buyers are being totally unreasonable if they expect a homeseller to totally dismantle everything that makes their house a home to them just because they can because its currently that "Buyers Market".

I would say actually that it would be useful to leave the "home" factors there in evidence partly as a way of testing how reasonable prospective buyers are. Reasonable buyers will accept it and the more "spoiled - because I can - because its 2012/13" ones wont. If they won't accept a few personal possessions left around in a home for what could be months - then they are likely to want all their own way in every other respect too and would a seller really want to sell to someone who acts like "My way or the highway - just because I can"?

You are letting your personal feelings and emotions get in the way of what is essentially a business deal.

When you come to sell your house you will want the best possible price you can get, of course you will, that's only right and sensible.

Your "spoilt" buyers (your word) want exactly the same thing. They will want the best house they can find for the budget they have.

Your job as the Vendor will be to make your house the best out of all the competition. If you don't, someone else will.

If you don't present your house in it's very best state to make it appealing and desirable then you are missing a trick. You are leaving money on the table.

It will be a mistake that can cost you £0000's.

Nicky - meant to say - best time to put your house on the market is March to May. August is dead. So if you can't manage the spring then the next best time is September.

Good luck.

lessonlearned

moneyistooshorttomention wrote: »

The other point I would make against removing all personal possessions (what - and even the draining rack from draining board, etc!!!) is that I think a lot of houses will get judged as to how "desperate" the seller is partly by the amount of personal stuff left around..

Yep, especially the draining rack.:rotfl: Then you bleach the sinks and polish the taps with a tea towel until they gleam and sparkle.
Only for the photos and viewings though;).

The rest of the time you live how you like. Just make sure that your EA gives you a bit of notice so you can have a quick tidy round and hide all the detritus of daily living before doing a viewing.

googler

moneyistooshorttomention wrote: »

Don't agree with that. Your home is STILL your home until the day you move out........... BUT there is a limit to this and these buyers are being totally unreasonable if they expect a homeseller to totally dismantle everything that makes their house a home ......

Reasonable buyers will accept it and the more "spoiled - because I can - because its 2012/13" ones wont. If they won't accept a few personal possessions left around in a home for what could be months

I fear you're missing the point. It's not a question of them being 'reasonable' or not. They won't be objecting to your stuff, or saying to themselves 'I think they should have moved the family photos'. They'll just be distracted by them. Maybe they won't even realise they are, but it's in your interests to keep them focused on the house, not on your stuff, because you're selling - the house, not your stuff.

EDIT just read lessonlearned's post - well put!