The secret to selling your home

I am regularly asked what the secret is to selling someone’s home.  Unfortunately there is no magic formula.  If there was, I would bottle it and sell it!  At this time of the year selling or buying a new home is usually the last thing on your Christmas list.

Fast forward to January once the tinsel and tree are packed away again for another year then it’s time to get focused for that all important property move. In the current climate listen to and take advice from your Solicitor Estate Agent.  You have invested a lot of time and money in their service. Here are a few tips on getting your property ‘viewing ready’.

Before you market your home for sale ...

Before you market your home for sale, take the time to attend to the preparatory jobs which need to be done such as: painting external woodwork; fixing slipped or missing slates; tidying up the garden and most importantly, de-cluttering each room and removing large items that may hinder viewers from seeing the ‘big picture’.  Your Solicitor Estate Agents can also put you in touch with trade’s people to assist you.

We live in a very visual world and a bit of investment of your time and perhaps a bit of money before launching onto the market will assist you with a quicker sale.  Don’t let your potential buyers see a negative home report.  Attend to the little things that you have been putting off doing.  Buyers will use these negative points to negotiate offers downwards as they will guess at the cost of repairs.

Home staging can help

Home staging is another service which is available to you. You can stage one or two rooms or the whole house.  This can be beneficial if you have perhaps let out a property and it now requires a bit of TLC or you just simply don’t know where to begin.

Use professionals

The use of professional photographs, brochures and podcasts/videos are a great way of setting you apart from the competition.  Long gone are the days of putting up a ‘for sale’ sign and properties selling in the matter of days.  Be seller savvy, your buyer is!

Don’t show the property yourself, have your agent do it.   They can detach themselves from the emotional involvement which you will have.

With all of the above attended to you can now launch the property on the market.  Your Solicitor Estate Agent will work closely with you, following up leads, viewers for feedback and getting you to a position where you achieve a satisfactory offer. Don’t lose sight of what is important – be prepared, organised and overall, be positive.

About the author

Karen Turner joined Balfour+Manson LLP in May 2012 as Property Manager. With over 20 years of experience working in the residential property market Karen has a wealth of knowledge in both the selling and buying of property in Scotland.

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