How to prepare for selling your home for the first time
Posted 11 February 2016 by
Helen ChristieIf you aren’t sure where to start when selling your home, Graham Lock, CEO at House Network is on hand to offer advice to make sure you’re well prepared.
Prepare well for viewings
Make your home as appealing as possible – this doesn’t have to cost a lot of money, you can create the perfect first impression on a budget. Remember you have on average around just 10 minutes for potential buyers to look around your home. There are a lot of time wasters out there, so only show people around your home who are in a position to proceed.
Be sensible with early offers
The first offer you get is often the best. Don’t assume that an early offer will mean your property will sell easily.
Research thoroughly
Before putting your property on the market, gather as much information on the value of your property as you can. While your agent will carry out their own research, ensure you have realistic expectations by looking online yourself at the competition. How much availability there is of properties similar to yours in size, standard and location will affect the appeal of your property. Take an objective view as to where your property sits amongst the competition, and never take your property off the market until your buyer has instructed/paid for survey.
Be patient
The home moving process can be very stressful so before you embark on your journey be prepared for some bumps in the road. Don’t expect everything to fall into place without any hitches and prepare to be flexible, especially if there are lots of people in the chain.
Don’t buy before you sell
Too many movers make offers on their dream home without even having theirs on the market, which on the whole results in them losing out to another buyer in a stronger position. If you’ve decided to move then get under offer first, then when you do start looking, estate agents and their vendors will take you more seriously. This also allows you to make concrete offers and tie up a deal straight away. Most buyers are happy to wait until the seller has found a property, as long as it doesn’t drag on for months.