Tips for Selling Your Home

Getting the best price for your home is what Cheshire Estate Agency strives to achieve with every property sale.

There is plenty that you, as a seller, can do to not only try and get the best price, but also maximize viewings and potential interest in your home.

Have a read of our selling tips below to see how you can make the very most of your home before you put it on the market.

1. Consider your target market

Always be aware of who you are likely to be selling to and consider the potential demographic of potential buyers. Once you have done this, try to tailor your room space to appeal to the main demographic without turning off other potential buyers. Here are some examples:

• You could be selling a two bedroom house that you feel would be well suited to a professional first time buyer couple. To stimulate interest, use the 2nd bedroom as an office space, but also make room for a desk-space elsewhere in the house. By doing this you are primarily targeting the first time buyer, but not deterring a potential couple with a child, who may need both the second bedroom and the desk-space.
• If you think that a young family would be your most likely customer, then why not place a swing or trampoline in your garden? This will appeal to younger families, but also demonstrate the size of the gardens to potential buyers who don't have young children.

2. De-clutter your home

If there's one thing that will show your home in an unflattering light it's a cluttered room. The buyer needs to be able to visualize themselves living in your house and the best way to do this is to provide them with a blank canvas of open spaces. You may wish to consider the following sales tips when de-cluttering your property:

• Put ornaments, photo's and children's posters into storage.
• Try and tidy things away that you don't use on a daily basis.
• Where possible put large pieces of furniture into storage - this will make the rooms feel bigger.
• Keep hallways free of coats/shoes and other clutter.
• Tidy the bathroom of your day to day toiletries.
• Keep the kitchen as uncluttered as possible by tidying away small appliances and day to day kitchen essentials like tins, towels and cutlery.

3. Outside of house and garden

First impressions really do count when viewing property and this is especially true when considering the front of the property and the gardens. You may wish to implement some of the sales tips below when assessing the outdoor look of your property.

• Varnish the front door and either polish or replace the front door handle or knocker.
• Cut the lawn of any front and rear gardens and trim any unruly hedges.
• Hide any bins on display that could be a potential eyesore for buyers. Also be aware of any unseemly odours that could be attracted by your bins.
• Cut back any trees that block the sun's natural light.
• Highlight any attractive features of your home by using an outdoor light or lantern.
• Present stylish pots either side of your front door.
• If you have an unattractive or poorly maintained garden or patio then consider replacing areas of this with wooden decking - this is a cheaper alternative to re-paving your patio or making wholesale changes to your lawn.
• Complement patios or decking areas with colourful plants and shrubs.
• Eliminate weeds by using weed killer on the driveway.

4. Make the most of the inside of your home

Sprucing up the interior of your property could really make the difference when it comes to marketing your home. Some parts of your home can't be modified without expensive building or construction work; however there is plenty you can do to get the very best out of your existing features. You may wish to take advantage of some of the following tips:

• A lick of paint - many experts recommend neutral colours - is a great way to breathe life into a property.
• To enhance a room with a neutral colour scheme then consider table lamps, vases and flowers to add a subtle contrast.
• In the kitchen, a cheap way to achieve a fresh look can be to replace doors and handles on your units. Matching chrome fittings can also provide that show home effect.
• Add a splash of paint or varnish to your banisters to give them that 'good as new' look.
• Give any frayed carpet edges a trim or cover any blemishes with rugs.
• It never hurts to display some fresh flowers strategically around your property or to light some scented candles to create welcoming ambience.
• If you have dated floor boards then it may pay to consider replacing these with vinyl, tiling or laminate flooring for a more contemporary look.
• Stylish chrome taps are another option if you would like to enhance the appeal of your bathroom.
• Remember that attractive kitchens and bathrooms sell houses. So concentrate on keeping these areas clean and clutter free.

5. Keep your home clean for viewings

While re-decorating and a bit of DIY could help to add value to your home, we are well aware it isn't an option for everyone. However the one thing that could really add a sparkle to your home is to make it spotlessly clean. Some house doctors recommend that you go as far as bringing in industrial cleaners who can really make your home spotless! A few cleaning techniques to keep your home uber tidy include:

• Calling in the industrial cleaners - this could be a good idea if you have a selection of viewings lined up in close proximity.
• Give carpets and sofa covers the once over with cleaning solution and then hoover-up.
• A clean set of windows will never hurt a property.
• Remember that kitchens and bathrooms must look inviting, but above all healthy and hygienic. So make sure that ovens, worktops, sinks and baths are spotless.
• Fresh white towels will also look a lot better than old ones.
• If you do just one thing then make sure that bins and waste areas are clean and odour free - there may be nothing more off-putting than an unpleasant odour to a potential buyer.
• If you smoke in the home, then consider that your target buyers may be none smokers. Freshen up the house by using air fresheners, opening windows prior to the viewing (weather permitting) and by using scented or aroma-therapy candles to divert the sense that the home is regularly smoked in. The same goes for ashtrays - it is probably best to keep these out of site.
• Also avoid cooking foods with strong odours before a viewing as the smell could linger for hours.
• If possible clean-up after pets and see if a friend or family member can look after them during viewings - not all buyers will be comfortable with animals and some may have allergies or phobias.

6. Make your changes at the right times

If you intend to make wholesale changes to your property then it is important that you make them at the right time of the selling process. Consider the following points:

• Any re-decoration, home improvements or de-cluttering need to be done before an estate agent visits your home to take photographs. Buyers have a wealth of choice thanks to property portal websites, so these photographs need to reflect your property in the best possible light to stand out from the crowd.
• If you make big changes after you have put your home on the market then be pro-active in getting your estate agent to re-photograph the property and to replace the previous pictures on all sales literature and property portal websites.
• Always try and do any cleaning just before a viewing or series of viewings.
• A second viewing will mean your property is in serious contention from a buyer. Always try and go the extra mile for second viewings as the chances are the buyer will be returning with a more analytical eye.

7. Get the right feedback on your property

Never be afraid to ask for help when evaluating improvements you could make to help sell your home. Some of the best people to guide you could be:

• Cheshire Estate Agency Staff - our negotiators and marketing advisors have a wealth of experience in selling property. As a result we know what works and what doesn't. Pop into any Cheshire Estate Agency branch, call us or fill in our Estate Agency Contact Form to find out how we could help to sell your property.
• Potential buyers - if you personally show potential buyers around your property then it is always worth attempting to get some feedback on what they liked or didn't like. They may be able to steer you in the right direction.
• Friends and family are always a good sounding board for ideas - ask them to walk around your property and get some thoughts from a different perspective.

8. Word of mouth helps sell homes

It's a common observation that 'word of mouth' is the best form of advertising. This is also the case when selling your home. Don't be afraid to put the word out locally that your home is on the market - many buyers want to remain in their local area and could be looking to upscale or downsize by one or two bedrooms - your home could be the answer.

While some estate agents cut back on their promoting activities, Cheshire Estate Agency is actively advertising homes in the places that really matter, including:

• Rightmove - the UK's biggest property portal website.
• Globrix - vast becoming a major player in the propertry portal market.
• thecheshire.co.uk - Our status as a Building Society and Estate Agency means we attract high volumes of traffic to our property pages.
• Outside your home - Our attractive sales boards and trusted name mean that people notice when a property is on the market with Cheshire Estate Agency.
• High Street Presence - The Cheshire's building society and estate agency branches have prominent locations across the North West.
• Newspaper advertising - Many estate agents no longer appear in your local newspapers. Our size and success means that Cheshire Estate Agency still features prominently in many local papers.

9. Choosing the best buyer

If your home is an attractive proposition then there is a chance you could attract multiple buyers all ready to make an offer. Consider the pros and cons of each buyer - here are a few things to look out for:

• Is your buyer involved in a chain or are they ready to move?
• How are they financing their purchase? Are they cash buyers? Do they have a 'mortgage in principle' agreement from a lender?
• Does the buyer have their conveyancing and surveys sorted? If not this could slow down the deal.
• How urgent is your need to close the deal? Do you need a quick solution or can you afford to hold out over the longer term for a better offer.
• Has the buyer made an inappropriately low offer? Or have they made an offer and then withdrawn it only to return with a lower offer? Such negotiation tactics could be a sign of potential difficulties further down the line.
• Get as much information about your buyer as possible. An example of this could be of first time buyers who haven't yet purchased furnishing or appliances - If you don't require your current white goods or furniture at your new property, then why not use these as a negotiating tool to retain the price you want?

10. Marketing your property at the right price

Just how do you put a value on your property? Do you compare your home to similar properties in the same area? Or do you have a set figure in your mind of your property's worth?

Valuing a property at the correct price is one of the most important parts of the sales process. A failure to get the valuation right can lead to prolonged and protracted sales and potential property heartache. By valuing your property unrealistically you could easily suffer the breakdown of a chain - meaning you may miss out on your dream move because you can't sell your own home.

So just how do Cheshire Estate Agency value a property?

The truth is that valuing a property isn't just an art form - it's actually something of a science. Cheshire Estate Agency don't just take a look at your home when it is valued, we use a collection of market data and sales reports to help us price your property at the right level. This means that our experienced team of Estate Agency professionals know the local market and have the expertise to advise you professionally and realistically.

Complete our Estate Agency Contact Form to find out how much your property is worth.