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House, flats, bungalows, and all property is a worthwhile investment to have under your belt. Of course, it will always be one of the biggest purchases you make in your lifetime. However, our home is our pride and joy and the place we retire to every day. However, your first home, second, third, or tenth may no longer be the right property for you.
Things can change with little notice. A new job, relocating, extending your family. Even downsizing in later life to enjoy some of that investment in retirement. There are many valid reasons why suddenly you start to consider selling your home. Two things we want out of the process are for it to be fast and profitable.
But it doesn’t always work like that, unfortunately, and sometimes these obstacles can be created by you. Meaning your home spends more time on the market and slowly depreciates in value due to the desperation factor you can face when you have been months into the process.
This is why I thought it would be worth sharing with you some valuable tips and advice to help you sell your home quickly for the maximum value. Interested? Read on to find out more.
Contents
Deciding to sell? Choose the right agent
One of the first decisions anyone makes is deciding the agent they will choose to help sell their home. This is the company that will advertise your property, potentially do the viewings, and is the initial first contact with your prospective buyer. So you can understand that this is an important decision to consider. Of course, there are varying factors that add to the decision-making process. The cost and fees the agents will charge, the level of advertisement they offer, and the potential reach they have to prospective buyers.
Don’t just go for the cheapest option or the quickest fix, sometimes this can have a detrimental effect on the time it takes to sell your home and the final figure. Instead, see a few different agents and ask questions about the service they offer. You should be able to trust your gut once you have met the individuals.
Take a long hard look at your home from a buyer’s perspective
This property is home to you, so no doubt you treat it that way. It has your furniture, your belongings all the way through it. Rightly so. But while your property works for you, would it work for someone else? It is so important to look at your home from a buyer’s perspective.
Imagine you were doing a viewing of it for the first time. How would your home make you feel? This isn’t about moving furniture or having it empty, but a potential buyer needs to be able to imagine their life in your home, and not how you live it. This is why it is important to declutter your home of unnecessary items. Clear out the magazines you won’t get a chance to read, pack away some of the items you don’t need on a daily basis, and store them somewhere.
Clearing your home will open up the mind of a potential buyer and could be the smallest difference between making a sale or losing one.
Does your home need a refresh?
Much like clutter can put off a potential buyer, so can the choice of decor. Again this isn’t about your furniture or sofa choice, everyone has a personal taste, but wall colour and wallpaper can really put a potential buyer off. Some people just don’t want excessive work when they first move in. While it’s perfectly fine to decorate your home the way you see fit while you are living in it, selling it may open up some negative opinions towards it. We can all have the same favourite colour scheme, can we?
A neutral decor will appeal to the masses, and open up more prospective buyers to your home. Consider fresh white or cream to give your home a new lease of life. Painting it doesn’t have to be a long and dubious chore, you can actually invest in tools to help you do the job quickly and effectively.
First impressions count, make the right one
Often the first impression your home gets to make is the exterior and the front door. So focus your attention on appealing to your prospective buyers. You could give the exterior brick or stonework a steam clean, giving your home a new lease of life with very minimal effort.
You may also want to consider clearing out the driveway and cleaning any walkways to your front door. Windows, window panes, and any woodwork on the show could all do with a little of your attention. Giving them a clean and getting rid of any collected debris or spider webs. It shows that you take pride in your home and it is well cared for, all attributes buyers are looking for.
You may not be particularly green-fingered but try and tidy up any garden areas you have. Often a quick mow of the lawn and turning over the flowerbeds removing weeds can be all that’s needed. Buyers won’t be looking at the details, but at a glance everywhere needs to look as best it can be.
Tackle those yearly tasks
There are always jobs on our “to do” lists that we avoid at all costs. The chores that we think will take time and effort, but once done can make a big difference to our homes. That’s right, it’s time to clear out the sheds and garages, and clean out those gutters. They aren’t pleasant jobs, but these are the places eagle-eyed buyers are going to be looking.
You can’t hide or brush over some of the minor details. Give yourself time to get them done before you put your home on the market, and make it your mission to maintain your property during the selling process. Taking on all of these tips will ensure that you won’t be doing it for long.
Is it best for you to do the viewings?
It may not be an option for you, but if you can, it might be worth considering doing the buyer viewings. The reason for this is that you will be talking from experience about your home. An agent will not be able to share memories, tips and tricks for your home, and sell your home as best as you can.
Often you are selling the dream of living in a particular property, you, I’m sure, will have made some great memories, and hearing certain anecdotes could resonate with a buyer. Your child taking first steps in the living room, celebrating birthdays, etc in the dining room. It might be worth considering.
Make home improvements before you sell
If you are serious about maximising your profits and are not under any time pressure to move, then perhaps investing in some home improvements could be a great option for you. We all know that an amazing kitchen, a modern and clean bathroom, and great outdoor spaces are big selling points. So if your home requires a bit of work in those areas then maybe investing some money now could be lucrative for you once you come to sell.
A kitchen and bathroom can add huge value to your property, and in most cases will increase your sale value more than what you invest. Especially if you can save on some of the labour costs. A big consideration could even be to add an extension, although more of a long-term profit the valuation could be double what you initially invest due to the increased square footage, living space, or amount of rooms the property has.
I hope these tips have provided you with some grounding to help you sell your home fast and profitably.
Image Credit: Deposit Photos
