Ready, steady, sell!

When the market is as buoyant as it is now, and with properties being snapped up, being ready to sell is key. Making your house as attractive as possible will help you command the best price and having everything you need at your fingertips will make for a stress-free transaction when you do accept an offer.

The price is right

Be realistic on the price you ask for your property. While it is something of a seller’s market a the moment, over-pricing can mean your property will take longer to sell.

A recent study conducted by Rightmove found that you were twice as likely to sell your home if it sold based on the first listed asking price. Make sure you do your research and look at recent price history in area; this will give you an evidence-based starting point and may mean that you’re lucky enough to get an offer straight away.

Prepare your paperwork

• Having all of your documentation ready will first and foremost save precious time. This is a suggested, but not exhaustive list, of what you will need:
• HM Land Registry title documents
• Gas checks completed by a Gas Safe registered engineer (or Corgi-registered engineer prior to 2009)
• Electrical checks – an Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR) or a NAPIT or NICEIC certificate/report from a registered electrical competent person
• FENSA or CERTAS certificates for windows
• Planning permission for any major work carried out
• Building regulation completion certificates and builder’s guarantee certificates for alterations or additions
• Subsidence guarantees/warranties
• Damp guarantees/warranties
• Party wall agreements (if relevant)
• If a listed building, listed building consent for interior and exterior works
• If your home is in a conservation area, conservation area consent for works
• Any title insurance policies you may have taken out to solve title defects

Taking just a little care and attention when preparing your home for a viewing can make all the difference when it comes to a prospective buyer making an offer. Avoid the pitfalls with our top ten tips on how to get your house ahead of the curve.

1.         Rightmove’s recent survey of more than 4000 buyers revealed that the biggest property turn off is a dirty kitchen or bathroom. Being the most personal areas of the home, it’s essential that these are both tidy and clean. Make sure you give them a good spruce-up before each  viewing, clear the drainer, empty the bins and put away any work top clutter in the kitchen. Similarly, in the bathroom make sure your bath taps are gleaming and your toilet sweet-smelling and spotless.

2.         Talking of sweet smells, while the old adage that the smell of a pot of fresh coffee, or baking bread will entice your buyer may not be proven, you should certainly be mindful of bad smells. Gather up those sweaty running shoes or muddy wellies from your porch and banish them to a cupboard. Similarly, if you have pets make sure you’ve cleaned up any pet hair and that dog beds or baskets are clean and fresh. Keeping your house well-aired prior to a viewing will also help to dispel any lingering odours.

3.         It’s not just kitchen surfaces that should be kept free of clutter, this can be applied to all areas of your home. Leaving things lying around could indicate a lack of storage and also won’t show off your rooms to their full potential. Renting an off-site storage container while your property is on the market is a way of removing excess possessions without having to part with them for good. Un-cluttered rooms can really help buyers to envisage themselves living there.

4.         When it comes to bathrooms, not only do they to be clean and clutter free, coloured bathroom suites can also be something of a sticking point. An avocado or lemon bathroom suite may have been the height of style in the 80s but in today’s world of a trend towards minimalism it’s much more preferable to have a white one. A coloured suite ranks high as one of the biggest turn offs for the modern buyer, so it’s well worth spending the extra money needed to install a new white one.

5.         You might be surprised to learn that you could be putting off your prospective buyers. Many agents hear from buyers that they feel uncomfortable if being shown around by the owner. They say that it’s harder to ask questions or have a frank discussion if the owner is present. In fact, research has shown that showing your own viewers around can extend the time it takes to sell your own home by three to six months. So, it makes sense to hand the viewings over to a trusted agent.

6.         When it comes to showing buyers around your home, the layout can become a bit of a sticking point. In older properties, it’s not uncommon for bathrooms to be on the ground floor beyond the kitchen and rooms to be small and individual rather than the modern lean towards to open-plan living. While it may be impractical to structurally alter your home, ensuring that your property looks its best will mean viewers will be able to look beyond these pitfalls – just as you did when you bought it.

7.         Noise can also be an issue for prospective buyers. While you can’t change the location of your house, you can do a number of things to negate any external noise. Double or even triple glazed windows will work wonders and a high fence can be helpful if you’re wanting to block out any road noise.

8.         Kerb appeal is also important. Many viewers will conduct a ‘drive-by’ of your property in advance of a viewing, so as soon as your house goes on the market make sure that the exterior is kept in tip-top condition. Put your bins out of sight, keep your front windows clean and make sure that any fences or gates are tidy and in working order.

9.         Let there be light! Before any viewing, make sure that blinds and curtains are fully open to maximise the natural light. During the winter months, or an evening viewing, make sure your home is well-lit. It’s so much more inviting to walk into a nicely lit home than a dark one.

10.       And finally…it can be those little extra touches that make all the difference. Keep any plants well-watered and add a vase of fresh flowers for a splash of colour. Investing in some new bed-linen and fresh towels will also make all the difference for relatively little outlay.