HOW TO PREPARE YOUR HOME FOR SALE

There seem to be a million different things to think about when you are considering selling your home and moving to a new location. Of course it will be costly not just in money terms, but also because of the amount of time and effort that is required.

Preparing your home for sale is extremely important and any preparations you do should have a beneficial effect when selling your home, whether it is a house or flat.

It really helps if you are prepared as well and know what you need to do. Plan the whole project and make as many lists as you need to cover all the different things that will have to be done. This will give you the feeling of being in control and will seriously reduce the level of stress you will experience.

The Price is Right?

First of all you need to decide on the price at which you are going to market your home. Get several written valuations from local estate agents and do some research in your neighbourhood to see if the estate agents have inflated or decreased what you should really be getting.

What an estate agent gives you is really just a suggested asking price. They may decrease the price to get your business and/or a quick sale and the price may be over valued to increase their fee despite that fact that the property might not sell so quickly.

If you want a true valuation of what your home is worth you should employ a qualified surveyor. This will cost you money but may be worth it if you suspect your estate agents are playing games.

Getting the price right is extremely important as time is money and a quick sale will ensure that you can get on with your home move and not be left with additional expenses such as a bridging loan. Overpricing a property is a popular and common mistake so don’t be tempted!

Price your home slightly over what you think it is really worth, so you that when you get an offer it is likely to be close to what you originally expected to get for your home.

Prepare BEFORE Selling

Start off by cleaning and tidying your home thoroughly both inside and out. Do all of those DIY jobs you have always been meaning to do and check your home carefully for any other repairs which may be needed and do them too. This especially applies to plumbing issues, which should be rectified and any badly stained items replaced.

Redecorate if you have not done so recently, or at least decorate any parts of the house that need it. This applies both the internally and externally. Inside the property use neutral colours and definitely get rid of any dark or bright colours which many people will find unattractive.

Remove any old worn out furniture and any stained carpets, get rid of all clutter and find places to hide the majority of your kids toys. Add additional furnishings such as curtains and cushions to complement your new colour schemes and update any old or inappropriate lighting.

Try to store or hide most of your personal effects as buyers prefer to see how your property would look if they were actually living in it.

Tidy up the garden and make sure it looks like professional has looked after it. If you do not have the time or inclination to do this then actually get a professional to do it for you. Also put in some plants, which are flowering and will flower for some time. If you don’t have garden then put some flowering plants or attractive shrubs in pots outside.

Remember that if you had your valuation done before you completed these preparations then you may want to do it again as your home may now be worth even more.