A lot of work can go into successfully selling your home. To get a good offer quickly, there are a variety of things you must consider. Some of these are straightforward. For example, it is naturally important that your home is in top shape prior to evaluations or viewings. However, there are also a range of more obscure details which can be just as important. Disregarding these can lead to you getting less than market value for your property, or make the overall process a lot slower than necessary. Here are 4 key things you should always pay attention to when selling a house.
Unconventional Selling Methods
First-time sellers may automatically hire a real estate agent without realising that there are now a variety of different alternatives to this. This can be a costly mistake, as agents normally take 5-6% of the total selling price of the house. In particular, private homebuyers should be seriously considered if you need to sell a property quickly, or if it requires a lot of repairs. Cash home buyers can offer instant, competitive prices, and you won’t need to pay commission. Alternately, if you have the time, you could go about putting the property on the market yourself.
Kerb Appeal
Surveys consistently rank the exterior look of a house as one of the most important factors for homebuyers. Referred to in real estate as “kerb appeal”, this is influenced by the garden, garage, and external paintwork, as well as the look of the house itself. As online viewings are becoming more and more prominent, this aspect is arguably now more important than ever, too. Consequently, you should make sure that your garden is tidy, and the exterior walls are spotless, prior to putting a house on the market. You may also want to hire a landscaper, if you really want to give your home some more eye-catching appeal.
Wiring and Heating
Since they are not instantly visible, the quality of your heating and electric systems in your house can be easy to disregard. As they are integral to the safety of your property, it is imperative you address them early on, however. A quick safety inspection can massively reassure prospective buyers. This will be beneficial from the perspective of your own safety, too. If the systems turn out to be outdated or improperly installed, you may also consider installing a new boiler, or hiring an electrician. If buyers have lawyers representing them, they will often specifically request gas and electricity safety certificates, too, so attending to this now can pre-empt this.
The Current Market
House prices are highly sensitive to the volatilities of the market. Right now, for example, the suppressed economies of many countries are causing valuations to dip. Thus, while it seems counterintuitive, it may make sense at times like this to take your house off the market. Ideally, you should then put your property back up for sale when the marketplace is more favourable. Naturally, economic and personal circumstances may mean this is not an option for many sellers, though. To counteract this, you should consult with an agent, who can give you guidance on how best to position your property in a buyer’s market.
