How to sell your property
How to sell faster and at the right price
Despite the growing value of property and the importance of achieving the right price many people clearly forget how to present their home.
First impressions can make or break a sale
Look around you and be critical. In flats, deal with the faulty entry phone, freshen up the communal door, remove the bikes from the stairhead and if necessary join the Edinburgh Stair Partnership. A badly maintained communal area shows neighbours have a poor attitude to the premises.
Does the paintwork look worn or chipped? Are the colours dull, and personalised? Missing roof tiles, blocked plumbing or outstanding communal repair bills can be off-putting and resultant offers may be conditional.
Is your garden well presented? Unsightly bins should be located in corners and remove any litter from the surrounding area. Panel fencing from your local Builders Merchant or local DIY store can replace damaged fences. Cut back the trees, tidy the shrubs and make sure the grass is cut. Consider stylish pots, new decorative stones, outdoor lights and creosote the garden shed.
Observe the property title deeds
Many tenements have detailed rules set out in their title deeds for management and maintenance but if they do not the Tenement Management Scheme is a default management scheme set up by the Scottish Government which will ensure that every tenement in Scotland - existing and built in the future - will have proper rules for maintenance and management.
Personal taste can take thousands off the price
Having reviewed the outside, now ask yourself how welcoming is your own front door? How cluttered is your hallway and would you rate the colour scheme? Terracotta red may be your idea of a cosy entrance but it may look like the gates to Zanzibar to everyone else.
Neutral colours appeal to the widest audience and can highlight the strongest features.
Attention to detail pays dividends
The reception area is the first chance for visitors to get an impression of the internal condition of your home, so make it pay! You don't want viewers to step into a noisy domestic scene so clear away the hats and coats, and hide the shoes that normally sit behind the door.
If rooms or the hallway are dull, consider repositioning paintings and where possible try and make a theme, matching frames and picture content.
Are the banisters in need of polishing or even a coat of varnish? Bring them back to life with a quick spruce and shampoo the carpets and rugs.
Buyers like the feeling of space
De-clutter! There are plenty of storage companies around and can easily be found on Yell.com.
Bright colours, like light, push the walls outward and give the impression of space. The darker they are the less likelihood of mass appeal.
Make sure curtains don't obscure either light or a good view. Leaving hallway lights on during viewing can raise the question as to why there is a need for artificial lighting during the daytime so leave the doors open, draw back the curtains and maximise the amount of natural light.
Re-vamping your kitchen will make your property sell faster
For the more adventurous, perhaps you might consider replacing the doors or worktops of your kitchen. In a survey undertaken by ESPC in September 2007, 30% of respondents said a modern kitchen was the biggest influence when buying a property, so bin the freestanding cooker, change the doors or at worst make sure the surface sparkles.
If you can't replace the units in the bathroom then at least clean the tiles, replace the grout, and treat the taps to a good chrome cleaning. Play the game - buy matching dispensing equipment, display matching towels and clean the mirrors.
Put children and animals on the property checklist
Children's rooms are often the most difficult to make a positive impression but use cupboards to hide everything and consider plain bed linen rather than the colours of the local football team. Match the colours to the wall and apply the same argument to the curtains.
Pets are a sensitive issue but the less signs there are of them the better. Scruffy may be your best friend but keep scents to being fresh.
Pleasant smells can be persuasive
Create an ambience. People always love the smell of brewing coffee or home made bread while air fresheners can also be pleasant.
Often the timing of viewings are after lunch or at tea time so avoid anything with strong flavours.
Your property visitor checklist
- Know the room order - the strongest first
- Actively point out the selling points such as room views, natural light, and extra sockets
- Draw attention to focal fireplaces and original features
- If windows have recently been replaced, comment on them and have documentation of council approval and guarantees to hand
- Mention if a room has been
recently redecorated
- If the stairs are cleaned regularly emphasise the co-operation between neighbours
- Praise the local shopping facilities, schools, sports areas, and access to bus routes
- Emphasise your length of residency as this indicates the strength of the area
- Allow visitors to view the property on their own after the guided tour
- If the garden is cared for make sure they view it
- If there are planned local developments make sure you raise them
- If the Press think it's a new hotspot tell them about the speculation!
Finally, learn from the experience of previous buyers questions and have your answers ready. We hope you found these tips useful - please also check out How to sell your home by Sandra Lawson, an interior design consultant who has brought her skills to a wide spectrum of assignments including private and commercial projects, period homes, loft apartments, new homes and apartments, family homes, offices and boardrooms.
If you are thinking of selling and need a solicitor, ESPC offers a choice of over 230 members.
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