How can I get my house ready to sell?

If you’ve been thinking about selling your house but aren’t too sure where to start, we’re here to help. From how to get your property ready for viewings to starting the packing process, Brentwood Square Management Services brings you some top tips to get you ready to sell!

  1. Choose the right estate agent for you

When you’re selling your house, if you move forward with the wrong estate agent, you could end up not only losing out on your sale but also devaluing your house. Before you pick your agent, make sure that you do your research and you’re confident in their abilities. There are questions that you should ask to ensure the agent that you’re speaking with is going to be able to get you your sale:

  • What are the fees when selling with you?
  • What’s the value of my house?
  • Will you handle the viewings and negotiations?
  • How long do you think it will take to sell?

If your agent struggles to answer these questions or you aren’t happy with what they tell you, you can move on to another agent. A good agent will confidently be able to answer you and reassure you that they will do everything that they can to achieve your sale and give you a much smoother sale than an agent who doesn’t.

  1. Redecorate

No matter what condition your house is in or what your budget is, redecorating is an essential factor when you’re looking to sell your house. Some homeowners will use this as an opportunity to increase their house value and achieve the best price possible when they sell, but for others, it’s a great way to entice viewers in and encourage them to put in an offer.

Homes that have been refreshed before being put up for sale will look more attractive, and by picking neutral colours for the walls, it will help rooms look bigger, brighter, and cleaner. This will appeal to any viewers, increasing the chances of you achieving your sale.

  1. Know the sales process

Selling  is a very long and stressful experience, and if you aren’t aware of the timeframes, it can make things incredibly difficult. Before you look to sell, you should do some research and learn the ins and outs of the entire selling process, so you don’t get caught out at any point.

There are a few ways that you can learn about the sales process; speak to someone who has recently sold their house and find out what delays they ran into, or simply ask your estate agent or Entry Conveyancing in Croydon. They will be able to tell you what timeframes are normal and what aren’t – for example, conveyancing can take over 12 weeks in some cases.

If you weren’t aware of that, it can be a worrying time that gives you extra stress, which is the last thing you need when you’re looking to sell. 12 weeks is a very long time, especially if you’re counting on a speedy sale. For anyone asking, “how can I sell my house fast?” you may choose to look into other options with a more suitable timeframe, such as quick sale companies.

  1. Kerb Appeal

First impressions count, and this is especially true for houses. A huge amount of potential buyers decide from the outside whether or not they’re interested in pursuing the property they’re viewing, so making sure that your kerb appeal is high will help you secure a sale much faster.

There are several things you can do to improve your kerb appeal –

  • Replace or repaint your front door:
    Houses with brightly coloured front doors are more eye-catching and stick in your viewers’ minds. As they will likely be looking at several other properties, you want to do everything you can to make your house stand out and stay in their heads. Some popular colours include:
    Mustard Yellow
    Navy
    Matte Grey
    Lilac
    Bright Red
    Glossy Black
  • Clean the windows:
    This sounds like an obvious one, but a huge number of homeowners forget about it. Clean windows help in two different ways – the property will look clean and fresh from the outside, and it will also allow more light inside to brighten your home, making it look bigger. Don’t forget to open all of the curtains or blinds too!
  • Maintain greenery:

An instant turn-off for viewers is a house with overgrown and unruly greenery, as it looks like the property isn’t cared for. It will often lead them to think that if the outside isn’t being maintained that the inside isn’t either, and can put them off before they even enter your home. If you’ve got hedges or grass at the front of your house, make sure that it’s trimmed regularly and looks it’s best.

  • Move your bins:
    We all use bins and know that they’re a necessity, but where possible, they should be moved for your viewings. If you can, move them to the rear of the property so they are out of the way, but if this isn’t an option you should move them as far away as possible from your front door. This is especially important in summer months where bins are liable to off-putting smells that can immediately have your viewers lose interest if they think they will have to walk past this smell for several months of the year.

There are plenty of ways that you can get your house ready to sell, and the points listed above will give you a great start to your selling journey!