According to recent research, on average, Brits will move once every twenty-three years, with the number of people putting their homes on the market increasing by 46% on boxing day last year. Whether you’ve fallen out of love with your surroundings or would like to make the leap and create a life somewhere new – there are hundreds of reasons for putting your property up for sale.
A home outgrown can quickly become the dream home for another family. However, deciding to put your house up for sale can be relatively easy, yet the selling process is anything but. From finding the appropriate estate agent to getting your property valued, so much is involved in the property-selling process that it can sometimes feel more extensive than the house you’re trying to sell!
Aside from selling your property, your main goal will be getting the best possible price for your former home. But this will not happen by sitting back and hoping for a sale – you must be proactive about it. But how? From hiring local builders to carry out value-boosting improvements to setting the original marketing price – we outline several tips for getting the asking price for your home below.
1. Set A Reasonable Asking Price
Setting an asking price that reflects the value of your property is one of the most critical steps in the property-selling process, which is why it is imperative that you get it right. The problem, however, is that we all feel our homes should fetch the best-asking price, as these are the four walls that have supported us through some of our key moments in life.
Yet, we can’t allow sentiment to get in the way of facts, which is why it’s essential that you approach an estate agent for a valuation before going any further. Ultimately, the estate agent’s findings are only advisory, and you don’t have to go with their valuation if you don’t want to. Still, it is wise to consider their advice.
As well as using the appraisal of an estate agent, there are other factors you should consider before setting your asking price. Consider the timeframe in which you need to sell your property, look at what is going on in the property market, look at price brackets used by property search engines like Zoopla, OnTheMarket, or Rightmove, and much more.
Using the above tips is crucial for setting a reasonable asking price for your property, as it will ensure that you don’t put it too high or too low, which can cause difficulties either way. Selling your property for less is an excellent way to get it off the market, but you’ll end up with less as a result while setting it too high might see you struggle to get it off the market.
2. Prepare The Property For Sale
Another way to ensure the total asking price for your property is by preparing it for sale. Ultimately if you want to sell your home as quickly as possible, you need to present it in the best light possible, as first impressions are vital for making it stick in potential buyers’ minds.
Preparing your property for sale might involve deep cleaning every room, keeping pets out of certain rooms, being upfront about any structural issues, de-cluttering spaces, and carrying out any repairs you’ve been putting off. The latter is significant because anything can cause doubt in a potential buyer’s mind, no matter how minor.
For instance, if there is a hole in your living room wall. Potential buyers might wonder if any substantial underlying structural issues with the property haven’t been outlined, which can rob you of a sale. Therefore, it is essential that you put rectifying any problems on your preparing the property for sale checklist.
You don’t even have to carry out the work yourself; you could consider enlisting the services of local builders using online directories like MyBuilder. Whether you need to check online reviews, see examples of previous work, or find builders near you, their website has everything you need to help you find a reputable tradesperson for your home improvement jobs. Consider visiting their website to find out more, or contact a team member directly to see how their online directory could connect you with local builders.
3. Work With Your Estate Agent
As we mentioned in our introduction, you can’t sit back and wait for a sale to fall into your lap while selling your property. Homeowners that sell their property the quickest are often the ones that work alongside their estate agent from when they decide to put their property on the market until they hand over the keys to the new owners.
This doesn’t just mean doing half the work and hoping that your estate agent keeps up; it also means checking in on them from time to time and ensuring they’re well-managed. Now we’re not suggesting that you keep tabs on your estate agent twenty-four-seven, but there are several things you can do to make their job easier!
From selecting photographs for the listing with them and ensuring that the property is well described to chasing them up when you haven’t had any viewing requests in a while and giving your agent any feedback that you’ve received during viewings – there are various ways to ensure that you and your estate agent are working together effectively.
Ensuring that you have an excellent relationship with your agent is crucial for ensuring that you get the asking price for your property, as they will be more willing to go above and beyond to help you sell your property, which might not be the case if you didn’t have such a good working relationship with them.
4. Create A Routine For Viewings
Successful viewings are one of the most crucial ingredients in the property-selling recipe, as these ultimately sell your property. Therefore, you want to ensure that each one goes as perfectly as possible so that potential buyers leave happy with the property fresh in their minds. Of course, not all viewings will be perfect each time, but there are several steps you can take to ensure they go as well as possible. From scheduling all your viewings on one weekend, to giving potential buyers the impression that the property is sought after to ensuring that you’ve cleaned well in between each viewing, there are various ways to ensure that viewings are successful.
On the other hand, if you don’t want the stress of showing potential buyers around your home, you might consider asking your estate agent if this is a service they provide. Providing that they offer this service, you’ll be able to vacate the property when a viewing is scheduled and leave your estate agent to do all the hard work.
Yet, if this is your plan, ensure that you and your estate agent sit down together and create a loose script that includes everything you’d like them to mention about the property, which might convince potential buyers to put down an offer. That way, you can rest assured that the best features of your property are being brought up to potential buyers, making you more likely to achieve your asking price.
