Selling Tips Continued .. 9. Preparing for Viewings Everyone knows that first impressions count, and youll want the house to appeal to as many people as possible; the more people there are who like the property, the higher the selling price should be. So sweep up, and make sure the front yard and hall to your house are tidy and inviting. Leave the pets with a neighbour, and thoroughly clean up any cat hair in particular, as many people are allergic to animal hair. Turn the lights and heating on; air out the house; and dont smoke or cook a curry before viewings. If youve got parking, leave the space free for the buyer - this will add to the whole experience. 10. Showing a Property Youll probably be paying an agent to do this; they know their job, so I always recommend that property owners go out during viewings. If you must show your property yourself, then decide beforehand what order you will show the rooms, and guide viewers around the property once, showing the best rooms first or last. Dont overload them with detail, such as the size of your boiler or the trouble with the neighbours cat. Be business-like during the first viewing; if someone is interested, you can always get to know them a little more on the second viewing. Never point out problems or issues, but do feel free to highlight the odd positive point, like a south-facing garden, or very convenient parking. Finally, invite viewers to take another tour round the property on their own... but dont go off and make a phone call - be somewhere nearby, on hand to answer queries. 11. Choosing the Best Buyer The person who offers the highest price is not always the best choice. Listen to your agents advice on buyers, and push your agent to find out as much about the buyers circumstances as possible. First, how are they financing the purchase? Cash buyers are best, but if they are raising a mortgage ask to see a mortgage in principle letter from their lender. Are they first-time buyers? If so, they will need some handholding by the agent and could protract conveyancing. Do they have a related transaction? If they have something to sell, then it should be under offer before you take your property off the market. Also, find out about any forward chains that could complicate agreeing completion dates further down the line. Additional purchasers and buyers returning to the market are usually good news - as long as their finances are in place, then there should be less potential hurdles here. A buyer who is represented by a professional home search consultant is also very good news, as the consultant will push the deal through on their side of the fence, too. 12. Accepting Offers Your agent will be the middleman and should present every offer that is made. Insist that the agent has all the background information to hand on the buyers position, and the ability to move quickly and ask that offers be made in writing. Market conditions, competition and how much the buyer loves the property will determine what the buyer is prepared to offer. Similarly, the price you will be prepared to accept will depend on market conditions; how quickly you need to sell; and the size of your moving budget. Compromise on both sides is often the key to securing a deal. Also, know whether you want to keep all your furniture, curtains and white goods, as many of these items may not suit your next home, and can be used as effective bargaining tools to get the price you want. 13. Holding the Deal Together This is where the hard work starts, and the longer it takes to reach exchange of contracts, the higher the chances of the deal falling out of bed or of the buyer gazundering (i.e. dropping their price). So keep in weekly contact with your solicitor and agent to ensure that channels of communication stay open. You need to be kept informed of where the conveyancing is at, and how your buyer is feeling about the progress of the transaction - you need to know whether they are still highly motivated, or off looking at other things to keep their options open.
Posted on: Sun, 24 Nov 2013 11:00:02 +0000
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