Selling you home is never any easy decision. Not only is it your home, but it is your taste, your décor, and your style and full of memories. We are all not the same and therefore you must accept that what people see, may not impress them or to make it worse offend them. So, to make you house saleable, you must consider giving it up as being your home and make it something that for a few months be a strange environment. This is the first important decision one needs to accept.
Decor
So, what do you do first? This is perhaps the simplest of questions to answer. Look at your property with fresh eyes. This is not the time to be intransigent or unsettled with yourself. It may hurt a little but call on a close friend or a neighbour and ask them to look around your house. Let them point out the corners or areas that you have seen so often that you have ignored or neglected. It is surprising how small details are often more important than we realise, and potential buyers will not be sparing with their criticism.
Once you have completed your walk through and been given the findings, it is time to prioritise. Décor. If you can, make any room a neutral as possible. It does not have to cost much, try to make the living room look as big as possible, try rearranging the furniture and remove items that take up space.
The pink wall in your daughter’s bedroom may be better white or cream. The same goes for other rooms. Wallpaper is both time consuming and expensive to change, so why not ensure that the furniture next to it is as neutral as possible. Remove the ‘lovely’ red and green vase you like so much and buy a cheaper white one for a while and whilst the curtains in the lounge may be the perfect red, if you can, get something less you. Blinds are always a cheap but effective alteration.
Go through the house like this and keep saying to yourself, I want as many people to like this room as possible, I must remove as much of my taste, as necessary. There is one golden rule that we should all obey, remove as many personal photographs as possible. They are both a distraction to the viewer but interestingly does not allow them to think of the house as their own.
Outside
We have all heard of curb appeal. Go outside to the front of the house. This is the first thing the potential buyer will see. Simple things first, is the grass cut? Does the gate not quite close or does it look shabby?
These are easy fixes and can be done quickly. Perhaps the most important area is the front door and the surrounding area. This is what their friends will see first when they arrive. Make sure that it is in good order. Welcoming, clean, respectable. Any plant pots close by, make sure they are at least filled with something living and tidy. Everything should say, you are welcome.
In conclusion, you do not need to always replace the kitchen or the bathroom. These are common misconceptions as most buyers replace any kitchen within a few moths of purchase anyway. Likewise, unless the bathroom has a royal blue suite (that could be an issue!), it will be fine.
The important things to remember therefore are try and make it as neutral as possible, declutter and remove very personal items. Allow the potential buyer to see their furniture in the space and not be overwhelmed by yours. Lastly, and most important of all, if you do not want to do any of this, the one thing that is vital, keep the house as clean as humanly possible. Untidy rooms, gardens and kitchens reflect on you and believe it or not that is noticed by the viewers.
What method to use to sell?
With the proliferation of the web, these days, one does not necessarily need to use the traditional estates agent. Selling it yourself for some can be a more personal achievement.
There are many sites whereby one can load photographs and make descriptions and press the key to release the details to the world. However, with this method, you do need to be aware of some strong disadvantages.
- Potential buyers do tend to use the more conservative channels to view houses. The audience this way may be smaller and unless your house is totally unique in some ways, the viewer may not be able to make the comparisons about similar properties in the areas or indeed the ‘average’ house price for that area.
- Viewings will need to be arranged by you and conducted by you. This can impinge on you work time.
- You will still need the use of a solicitor, like with all house sales.
Choosing an Agent
All towns and even small villages seem to have Estate Agents these days. Some are instantly recognisable chains that you see in all towns, some are smaller and possibly independent.
With such a myriad, who do you choose? To begin, I suggest someone local. Chances are they know the area your house is in well and their expertise is crucial. Secondly, check their commission rates. They will vary. Some can be as high as 2-3% some as low as 0.5%. This does not necessarily though reflect their level of service.
Nor does the size décor or location of the office. I have always had the opinion that the plumber who comes to me in the newest of vans with a personal number plate appears to be making more profit than the chap in a well-used banger, it does not mean he is less capable, just less greedy. Also remember, if it is a chain the fees are fixed, independents may be able to be flexible.
Talk to the agent(s). Are they engaged in what you want to do with the house, do they communicate well, and most importantly, do they know their stuff?
What should the Agent provide?
In my opinion the fees any agent charges should be for a full service. By that from signing you up to the completion, everything should be dealt with by the agent. There is no need to charge extra for the board outside, or the brochure, or indeed house viewings. There are large agencies that do just this. They advertise as no fees, but everything else is an add on.
A good agent will begin with a valuation. They should view your home, and using all the means possible, they should compare your house, assess the how it is appointed and come to an accurate market price.
A valuation should be above all honest. Any agent can do two things, they can OVER value your home, which encourages you to go with them, or in reverse, they can under value. The latter leads to a possible quicker sale (who does not want a bargain).
However, any good agent should provide you with an accurate price. You as the vendor can then ask it to be marketed for more, or less, but you should know the true start price.
One important note is that you are in control. You should be able to ask the Agent all the questions necessary throughout the whole process and in return a good agent should equally be updating you about the situation as frequently as possible.
The agent has government rules that they MUST follow when describing a home. They can not be subjective, for an example, descriptions cannot say “a stones throw from the beach” as that depends on the thrower, however, 25 m from the beach, is far more accurate.
Please ensure that you ask the Agent to see the advert before it is launched, you should be able to edit it accordingly following the guidelines, if necessary.
The Process
Once the advert is finalised, the Agent can use recognised web sites to advertise. Not all agents use all the sites, something you may wish to establish early. The most common are Rightmove, On The Market and Zoopla. Your home should go on all three if available and used by the agent.
Viewings
All enquiries come through the agent; this avoids you taking time to organise. The Agent will then ask you if it is a convenient time and whether of not you wish to be present. As a rule, never allow a stranger into your home without the Agent, they provide security and if they have done their homework, they have already made some discreet enquiries as to whether those viewing are genuinely interested or just nosy.
Offers
If an interested party like the house, they are likely to make an offer. This is put to the vendor, but it does not have to be accepted. The Agent should be able to dismiss ridiculous offers straight away, but they will always let you know what has been tendered.
The agent should then be prepared to encourage the purchaser to just go that little bit further, until a deal between you and the purchaser is agreed.
All house sales require a survey, the surveyor can be recommended by the agent but usually the vendor choices their own.
Memorandums of Sale
One the sale has been agreed the Agent collects the details of the solicitors use by both parties and writes up a memorandum of Sale. Copies should go to both parties and their appointed solicitors.
Chasing
Unfortunately, no agent has control over the solicitors, and this can cause delays, but a good agent should repeatedly call and discuss the progress of the sale with them and inform all relevant parties of the time frame.
Exchange and Completion
These two final stages are often misinterpreted. Once both sets of solicitors have done their job and all the facts, surveys and details about the sale are finalised, the solicitors swop or EXCHAGE the documents for signatures, at this stage the Agent should be giving the vendor a call to inform them of the Completion date.
Completion
Usually within two weeks, COMPLETION occurs, this is the days that hr keys are handed over. The sale is done, and you can move into your new home.