Presentation
Presentation is paramount! In this competitive property market, the presentation of your property is the single most effective key to securing a buyer. Here are some tips to hellp you ensure your property is presented in the best possible way:
From the outside
Make sure your property is easily identified - the name or number should be clearly seen and located where buyers would expect it. Better still, have a 'For Sale' board up, especially if your property is in a town or city.
Try standing in front of your property and viewing it with a fresh eye. Check for clipped slates, growth on the rhones, cobwebs in the porch, flaking paint on window sills, or tarnished brasses. These are small points that can be easily rectified and make a big difference to a viewer’s first impression.
If you have a garden it is also important to ensure it is tidy, especially at the front of the property. First impressions when ringing the bell do count for a lot with viewers. If you are selling your property during the summer months consider buying some flowering plants to give extra colour.
Interior decor
It is rarely worth spending large sums on your interior, but do make sure to undertake any small repairs required. Keeping up to date with the smaller jobs shows you have cared for the property.
If redecorating needs to be done, select light and neutral decor. The chosen colours may not necessarily be to your own taste, but they will appeal to the broadest range of purchasers. We are happy to give guidelines here and we can also recommend our maintenance service. Click here to find out more.
Viewings
Make sure your property is warm and well lit when you are expecting viewers, as this will make people feel at home. If you are showing viewers around the property yourself, be sure to give them time to look at the property properly and do not feel you need to speak all the time. Following these tips will help viewers relax and imagine their possessions in the property. People usually buy a home because it ‘feels right’, not just because it meets a particular specification.
If you have a dog, we suggest you ask a friend or neighbour to look after it during viewings. Many people are not confident with dogs, however friendly they may be, especially if they have young children.
It is also a good idea to gather together any relevant paperwork on your property. Readily available guarantees (i.e. for timber treatments) add to a buyer's confidence and can provide immediate reassurance to a prospective purchaser's surveyor. Give a copy to the agent and the originals to your solicitor so that they are to hand.
