Thinking of Selling Your Home? - Do These Four Things First

 

Selling a home can be stressful, but by following a few easy rules at the start of the process, sellers can save themselves time, money, and heartache.

A little bit of pre-sale prep will help you avoid the two most common home-selling horror themes.

Scenario one: The process is painfully slow and drags on for months (or sometimes years) leaving you the seller living in limbo and tearing your hair out because you can’t find a buyer or make a deal.

Scenario two: You fall in love with another property but can’t shift your own property quickly enough to keep the chain moving. As a result, you lose your dream home – and blow thousands of pounds in surveys and legal fees along the way.

Here is a four-step plan to help you prepare for putting your home on the market.

1 Manage your expectations

It’s human nature to place a high value on something to which we have a strong emotional attachment. But you need to step into the shoes of a potential buyer. They will view several properties in the Retford and North Notts area as part of their search. How will yours stack up? Be realistic with your asking price; over-valuing a home is a sure-fire recipe for a drawn-out sale.

2 Phone a friend

Ask a straight-talking friend for a brutally honest appraisal of your home. Don’t be offended if you don’t like what you hear. If they tell you the front room stinks of dog, it probably does – so do something about it. If they confess that the life-sized portrait of your super hero on the wall creeps them out, take it down. Dress your home to appeal to a range of buyers, not just your personal taste.

3 Declutter

Following on from the previous point, review the furniture and décor in each room and decide what needs to go (if you want to keep it, put it into storage). Remove personal photos and objects, and bulky furniture which can make a room look smaller. Let’s face it we all have far too much stuff in our homes.

4 General repairs and maintenance

Sort out minor DIY issues such as broken door handles or mould in the bathrooms and give tired rooms a fresh lick of paint. Trim shrubs and smarten up the garden. Don’t bother with costly renovations that won’t add value.

BONUS TIP

Many people search for their next home before they put their own on the market and wind up facing Scenario Two (as discussed above). When you find your dream home, you need to move immediately and know exactly how much you can offer. 

I recommend you put your home on the market first, so you’re pumped and primed to make your next move.

Thanks for reading.

I'm here to help sellers, buyers, landlords, and tenants.

Call me or drop me a message if you think I might be able to help you.

geraldbowers@thegoodea.co.uk

The Good Estate Agent – North Nottinghamshire
Tel: 01777 237310 or 07981 744003

https://www.facebook.com/thegoodestateagentnorthnottinghamshire