First impressions are the most important.  Stand at the front of your property and view it with a fresh eye.  If you find this hard, ask a friend to do it for you, someone who will “tell it as it is”.  If you have a front garden or driveway, make sure the grass is cut, any rubbish or bins are removed, borders are weed free, shrubs are trimmed, and the porch is cobweb free.  If the drive is not large consider parking your car elsewhere to give more of an impression of space.  If it’s spring or summer and you have no flowers or greenery planted, it may be worth buying and planting a few fresh ones to provide a splash of colour. 

If you are moving, it would rarely make sense to spend much money on improving your property just to sell.  Better to save it for your new home.  It would however be sensible to carry out any small repairs that may be required, to give the impression that the property has been well maintained.  If any rooms do need decorating, choose a light and neutral colour, which would appeal to a wider range of purchasers.  If you are a dog owner, remember that not everyone is a pet lover.   So have someone take Offenbark for a walk during the viewings. 

Make sure your property is warm and well lit when you are expecting viewers, as this will make it feel more homely. If carrying out the viewing yourself, take your time, don’t rush the process, and remember that there is no need to talk all the time. Give them time to think and get the feel of the place, and imagine the property as their own. For most purchasers the property has to feel right, as well as meet their preconceived specifications.

Clean, clean, clean – we know it’s obvious, but it really works.  Make sure the kitchens, bathrooms and every visible part of the house is absolutely spotless.  Potential buyers like to envisage themselves in your house, and ensuring there is no dust, dirt or stains around will help get a best offer.  If you’ve already moved out or if you’re too busy to stay on top of things, consider hiring a cleaning service to stop by every couple of weeks.  Ensure that the toilet doors are closed, and the shower screen is 100% free of limescale!

You want buyers to focus on how awesome your property is, not how messy it looks.  Get rid of the shoes, old tables and second hand furniture and tidy up each room to leave a clean, sparkling free and open space for visitors to imaging living in.  Any of your personal possessions that you can do without for the time of marketing, should be put away leaving bare, straight, uninterrupted surfaces that provide the feeling of space.  Particularly ornaments, souvenirs, and family photos.  Although personal to you, they are not personal to the viewer, and clear shelves and space can improve the overall feel of the rooms.

Do consider taking our advice, we’ve been selling properties for a long time!

It’s an age old piece of advice, but the human psychological value is well proven. The smells of a house can influence buyers, and having a warm cosy baking scent can sub-consciously influence the chances of getting a good offer.   Brew some fresh coffee is you’re at home!   Not a baker or coffee lover?  Fake it with a scented candle and air freshener – it’s the next best thing!

Ensure you have some newly purchased and suitably sized plants around the house, if possible with flowers.  Potted plants or a few pretty buds in a vase can help bring energy into a space, fill in empty corners and even draw attention to features you want buyers to notice.  Just make sure the plants are in good health (and bug-free!).

Take notice of any post-viewing feedback we may provide.  If several viewers have the same comments, it makes sense if possible to do something about it if you can.  After a few weeks, we will meet and carry out a review of all viewings and make adjustments where necessary.

We can find a buyer for your home at any time of the year, and there is no part of the year better than any other for selling. The areas we cover do not show any major seasonal variations, and our sales have shown to be spread evenly over the year, perhaps with a slight increase in Spring.

People are always moving, getting married, getting divorced, changing new jobs or circumstances. There are hundreds of reasons people move, and we are well positioned to sell your property at any time.

That said, some houses will sell easier at different times of the year. For example a rural home with far reaching views will always be more appealing on a lovely Spring or Summers day than in the middle of a bleak winter! However an urban flat in a city really doesn’t matter when it’s marketed.

On average we sell our properties within a 6-8 week period, making us one of the fastest selling agents in our area. Bear in mind that this this does vary from house to house. If you have a particular timeframe in mind, for example 2 weeks or 10 weeks because of another property or job commitment we will always do our best to pull out the stops to ensure it’s sold in your required timeframe. We are always needing more properties, and homes of any type to sell, as we have a waiting list of actively searching buyers.