Buying a new home is an exciting prospect, however, the reverse is often true for selling a property. Selling your house can feel like a daunting task, and for good reason. The average home takes roughly 2-3 months to sell and can be an incredibly complex task especially if it is your first time.
Our conveyancing solicitors at Kingsfords Solicitors have used their many years of shared experience in this field to put together their top 5 house selling tips, so you can be prepared and in the best position to begin attracting potential house buyers.
1. First Impressions are Essential
When prospective buyers walk through the door of your home, they form an opinion almost straight away. Some even make up their mind before they have entered the property based on its external appearance. With this in mind, it’s important to make sure that the areas that are seen first, such as the front garden, driveway and front of the house, look as attractive as they possibly can.
If you can, it could be worth investing in these areas, either by doing the work yourself or hiring a gardener/landscaper. Whilst this may not seem a huge issue, it could in fact make the difference between a potential offer or a flat rejection.
2. Give Potential Buyers a Warm Reception
Many sellers often forget that their house can feel colder in certain seasons (especially during the springtime when the heating tends to be turned off). Make sure that your heating is switched on in advance of any viewings, otherwise you could give the impression that your home is on the colder and draughtier side, which is a big concern for most prospective buyers.
In addition to this, make sure to clean up any clutter, as well as excess foliage in the garden. A clutter-free home tends to feel more spacious and cared for, and a manicured garden will appear much more inviting and less like another job to be done.
3. Omitting Offensive Odours
Whilst how a house looks and feels is incredibly important, many people forget to consider how the house smells. Making sure that there are no overtly strong odours throughout the house when viewings are taking place should be a priority. People are naturally influenced by smells, and a bad smell in any part of the house is sure to put any buyers off almost instantly.
Making sure that you don’t cook anything too fragrant the night before a viewing, as well as opening windows, and cleaning any pet bedding and carpets is sure to be beneficial in the long run. You could even invest in a neutral air freshener or reed diffuser to provide a gentle pleasant scent throughout your home.
4. Marketing Your Property
Whilst hiring an estate agent can certainly be helpful, it’s become more of an option than a necessity. In the age of the internet, it’s now easier than ever before to market your home, even on your own.
Many websites now give you the option to post your own private listings for a fee, however, there are some things that you should consider when doing so:
- Create a virtual tour of your home – virtual tours have become an incredibly popular marketing tool, by filming a video walking around your home, you can give potential buyers a feel for the layout.
- Take high-quality photographs – You’ll want to take clear pictures of both the exterior and interior of your house, and you should make sure that every room is photographed. Most modern phones are now capable of taking great-quality photos, but if you’re struggling to do so then it may be worth investing in a professional photographer.
- Choose a great lead photo – the lead photo is the first photo that any potential buyers will see when they scroll past a listing. Often a good exterior shot works, but if you have a stunning room that you think will grab people’s attention then you might want to use a well-photographed picture of that instead.
- Update your description – make sure that when describing your home, you’re highlighting the best aspects of the house. Does it have open beam ceilings? Perhaps it has a walk-in shower? Make sure you’re listing the most attractive features that your home has to offer.
- Sell the lifestyle, not just the house – People love to buy into a lifestyle. If you have an amazing kitchen, talk about how perfect it is for cooking large meals for the family, and how many dinner parties you’ve hosted. A huge garden? Mention how many evenings have been spent watching the sunset with a glass of wine.
5. Choosing the right residential conveyancing solicitor
The legal process of selling a house can be both complex and stressful. There are a lot of boxes to tick as well as important decisions to make, so having the correct conveyancing solicitor to support and guide you through the process is essential.
Get in touch with our residential property team
At Kingsfords, our experienced team of residential property solicitors understand the stress of trying to sell a property that you have grown to love, and so strive to make the process as smooth and seamless as possible.
Our team is made up of highly qualified solicitors who have the legal and technical experience to resolve any problems that may arise in a quick and efficient manner.
From handling paperwork to removing confusion and uncertainty from any legal jargon, we’ll be with you every step of the way, whilst keeping you fully informed.
If you’re thinking about selling your property, don’t hesitate to get in touch with our team of conveyancing solicitors by filling out the enquiry form to the right, or giving us a call at 01233 624545.