Here at O'Flynn Estate Agents, we have been involved in selling homes for many, many years. People invite you into their lives, and you are privileged to share such an important element of that. Because of this you gain valuable experience as to what can help in selling a home.
Clearly when selling and buying a property, there are instances where people's time frames and expectations can differ. First time buyers, buy to let investors or people with nothing to sell often want to progress the sale as quickly as possible. However, this is not always possible due to a potential upward chain or the homeowner yet to find a suitable property to move to. Unfortunately that happens, and you pivot and adapt to those situations to try and get the best outcome possible. It is the agents job to ensure that they set those expectations at an early stage so that all parties involved have a clear understanding of the situation from the outset.
However, generally when selling a property there are some common, tried and tested things that you and I can both do to ensure that we sell the property within the appropriate timescale.
1. Hire a good estate agent - This is one of the most important steps in selling your home. A good estate agent will have a wealth of experience and knowledge to help you through the process, from pricing your home correctly to negotiating with buyers. How do you know they are 'good'? that's a good question. Build a rapport, reach out and have a chat. Ask questions, check their credentials, see what looks good and feels good. Asking for recommendations from your friends and family is also great because it is based upon experience.
2. Stage your home - Staging your home is one of the best ways to increase its appeal to buyers. By making small changes, such as decluttering, ensuring beds are made and adding fresh flowers, you can make your home more inviting and increase its chances of selling quickly. Fresh coffee and freshly baked bread does smell great as well, and you could win someone over by offering them a slice, if nothing else it is a conversation opener.
3. Price it right - Pricing your home correctly is essential to selling it. If you overprice your home, you could miss out on potential buyers and it will likely sit on the market for a period of time without any offers. On the other hand, if you under price it and accept the first offer that is presented to you, you may miss out on what your home is truly worth. In the current market, the first two weeks of advertising are so important, this is where buyers who are registered with agents and online property portals are alerted to your home and if the price is far higher than comparable properties, a potential buyer will simply not engage. We can help you with this based upon our recent selling experience and we will create a marketing plan which will best suit depending on the anticipated interest in your local area.
4. Market it well - In order to sell your home, you need to get the word out there. Use all of the available channels including online advertising on the popular property portals and open houses to market your home to as many people as possible. Social media helps, and of course we have our own tried and tested routes that we will use to help get the ball rolling and to keep interest as high as possible. Even in a selling market, it is important that your agent is not solely reliant on placing your property on for example Rightmove and then wait for the phone to ring. Your agent must be proactive and they must be reaching out to their registered applicants to get as much interest as possible.
5. Be prepared to negotiate - Negotiating is a big part of selling a home and this shouldn't be down to you the homeowner to do. This is where your experienced agent should be giving you the right advise based on how long your home has been on the market, what interest it has had to date, previous feedback, the buying position of the potential buyer and what further viewings are pending. Be prepared to haggle over things like price, repairs, and closing costs with potential buyers. By being prepared and knowing what you want, you can maximise your chances of getting the best outcome possible.
and as a bonus, two more ideas:
6. Start with the curb appeal - First impressions matter, and your home's curb appeal is the first thing potential buyers will see. Make sure your lawn is neatly trimmed, the gutters are clear, and the paint is fresh.
7. De-clutter and de-personalise - Potential buyers need to be able to imagine themselves living in your home. If you can put away the obvious personalised items, and anything else that gives buyers the impression that this is YOUR home. Keep it balanced though, and keep it in line with what you can manage.
I hope this is of some use. As mentioned above one of the best things you should do early on is to engage your local agent. I really hope you reach out for a friendly, no obligation chat to see how I can help.
Karl O'Flynn
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