Published: 10/08/2017
Recent research suggests that over half of mortgage holders have not moved home for over 15 years. Therefore this is not something home owners do very often. This lack of experience may suggest why some vendors unintentionally prevent the sale of their property! Willmotts can show you what best not to do and what you should do; here are 10 points on how to avoid this:
1: How committed to the sale of your home are you? If you have reservations and are putting up barriers then this will sabotage your best chances of a sale. Make sure you are fully committed to the task at hand.
2: Being unrealistic with the price will stall your chances of a sale. Especially in the current West London, Hammersmith W6 area, where sales have slowed from previous years with such high figures being asked for property. There is still growth in London but not to the extent of the previous decade. Your local agent should advise you on the best price possible.
3: Presentation is key to impressing potential buyers. Nobody wants to see dirty dishes or washing let alone filthy floors etc. Make people feel safe, comfortable and at home, not repulsed by an unhygienic home.
4: Visible damage will turn off some buyers as all they will see is unnecessary expense. Listen to your local agent, they should advise you if you need to spend money on basic repairs in view to generating the best possible sale.
5: Variety is the spice of life, not all of us like the same things and pets smell from your beloved cat or dog maybe invisible to you but can turn off a buyer as soon as they walk through the front door. Again listen to your agent to see if you should mask any pungent pongs.
6: Step back take a good objective look at your home, is it the best layout or colour to appeal to the widest audience? Your favourite colour maybe be a little too strong for the general market. Neutral colours and furnishings will generally make your home look bigger and are less likely to put off a potential buyer. Give them a blank canvas to imagine their own creation.
7: Outside space is a huge bonus and much sought after but don’t leave it as that. Don’t neglect the garden, make the most of what you have to sell. Show it off as a place to relax and enjoy with a suitable table and chairs.
8: Let the professionals do their job, that’s where they earn their money and get you the best price. You have an emotional attachment to your home and this can get in the way of best expressing the space to the vendor. Those items you are so very proud of may be of no interest to the buyer and in fact you have distracted them from what they are looking for. The estate agent will know what they want and help them find it.
9: Timing. Timing is key to selling your home, if your property is not available this does not mean the buyer will go out of their way to see it. A good agent such as Willmotts, will do their best to make sure the buyers are walking through the door and not being sold someone else’s property because yours wasn’t available.
10: Rome wasn’t built in a day. Just because the first few viewings weren’t successful doesn’t mean the next one won’t be. Keep motivated, keep following the rules and keep your presentation up as the next person to walk in might be the one!
For any advice or help with buying a property in Hammersmith, West London W6, please get in touch with our sales team on 020 8222 9958 or email sales@willmotts.com