Selling your home can be a stressful experience, even when moving onto bigger and better things. From marketing and pricing, to presenting your beautiful home in the best light to potential buyers, there’s a lot to consider – even when it comes to the breath-taking properties that should, in theory, sell themselves.
Between finding your next house purchase and going through the buying process, the selling side of things can seem like an additional and overwhelming task you could do without, but armed with the right knowledge and tips, it can be simpler than you might think.
To help set you on the road to property selling success, we’ve rounded up some of the best tips from the industry – so get ready to see those viewings being booked in in no time.
Rule the market through the power of de-cluttering
You may well have outgrown your home, and in fact that may be the primary reason you are looking to move, but a property that is stacked to the rafters with unnecessary furniture, papers and trinkets can make it look smaller than it really is – and can be enough to put off potential buyers from the outset, no matter how beautiful your home really is underneath it all.
To ensure that you’re showing it off in all its glory, look at each room with a fresh pair of eyes. Ask a friend or neighbour for their opinion, if necessary. Anything that doesn’t contribute towards the primary purpose of that room, whether it’s cooking, eating, entertaining or relaxing, should be removed from sight. Pack up books, ornaments and rarely-used kitchen appliances early if necessary – it’ll all help you save time in the long run – and put them into storage.
Don’t just think about these smaller objects either; take a critical look at the furniture in each room. You may have acquired a family heirloom or two that you can’t bear to part with, but if it’s taking up unnecessary space then you should remove it prior to putting your house on the market. Ridding it of superfluous items of furniture will open up your space and allow others to visualise how they might live here, increasing the chances that you’ll make that swift sale.
How to make them click!
Has your agent ever sent you a Rightmove Property Performance Report? If not, ask them to do so! They are available to all estate agents who sell their properties on Rightmove, and present lots of useful statistics that offer an insight into how your online marketing campaign is performing.
The click-through-rate indicates how many people are actually clicking on your advert to find out more about your home. Anything above five per cent is considered good. If your rate is five per cent or lower, this indicates that it is time to make some changes; your listing is clearly not generating enough attention or interest.
Begin by changing your main photograph – and allow your creativity to shine. One of the best tactics is to simply select a picture of your freshly-painted front door, as this creates an air of mystery and makes the viewer intrigued to discover more. You should also change your title – make sure it is short and snappy.
Aside from this, one sure fire way to get attention is to include some unusual information, and shout about what makes your home unique and desirable. If it has a hot tub, garden room or swimming pool, then make sure you’re shouting about it – it’s another of your home’s key selling points.
The secret power of naming your home
You wouldn’t think that giving your house a name would make much of a difference in terms of the attention it attracts, so you may be surprised to find that it does. The impact of naming your house ‘The Mansion’, ‘The Townhouse’ or ‘The Cottage’ can be impressive – in fact, Mouseprice has revealed that properties named the latter tend to sell for 50 per cent more than average, and there has been more than one house called The Cottage sold every single day since 2000.
A simple adjustment such as this will take only a matter of seconds, but could end up turning you a tidy profit. Of course, the name you select does need to fit in with the style of your home, so don’t name it something that it is not.
Generally speaking, it’s the traditional and quaint homes that suit names, which is why just under six per cent of houses in the UK have homes instead of numbers. But, if you want to name yours, then try something appealing such as Rose Cottage, The Bungalow, Orchard House, Ivy Cottage, The Lodge or The Coach House. Or, if you are selling a multi-million pound mansion and really want to attract attention to it, then go for Courtenay House – it’s traditionally a name associated with the most expensive properties there are.
Your most important marketing tool
Your estate agent may have told you there is no need for a professional photographer and that it’s a waste of money, but this is often not the case. The photographs you use to sell your home hold so much power, and if they aren’t taken well then you may not get any viewings booked in – no matter how stunning your home is in real life. If, on the other hand, your photos show your home to full effect, then you’ll soon find you have potential buyers queueing up at your door – so it pays to spend a little extra on professional photographs that will really make it shine.
A professional photographer can be your ticket to marketing success. They know their lighting and angles, and their eyes are trained to see what an amateur doesn’t, so they will instantly pick up on anything that might spoil an impactful photo. They will also know how to create atmosphere in your photographs – something which is extremely important, as lifestyle pictures really help your property to sell. Not only that, but a professional will also take their time as well to make sure they get the best shot.
Quick video staging tips to sell your home
Are you ready to embrace the latest and greatest marketing tactic – a virtual video tour? Giving potential viewers an insight into your home before they set foot in the door – particularly if it’s impressive – is a surefire way to attract the right kind of attention.
Just like you need to stage and prepare your home for photos and viewings, you need to for videos as well. Here are some top tips for getting it just right.
Pare down furniture – Remove one or two pieces of furniture from every room to make the space look bigger.
Remove personal photos – Replace the photos in your picture frames with some artwork. Family photos can make it hard for other people to envision living in your property.
Clean and declutter – Your rooms have to be spotless. The camera magnifies grime and clutter becomes much more noticeable.
Create flow – Rearrange furniture pieces and alike to create a good flow. One of the most effective ways to do this is to make sure the focal point of the room is the furthest point away from your doorway. You can then rearrange other pieces in a triangular shape.
Add flowers / plants – This is an easy and effective way of sprucing up any room. You may want to opt for a healthy green plant rather than a bouquet of flowers – the camera loves green.
Take snaps – Last but not least, practise a bit before you begin your tour. Take a few snaps to get an idea of how things look on camera before you take a video.
Is traffic noisy here on a night?
Be prepared for tricky questions from potential buyers, as they will often ask about potential nuisance factors. From whether they are going to hear lots of noise during the night thanks to living near a main road, to if the neighbours play their music too loud, there is often a lot to contend with – but if you anticipate the questions and prepare your answers carefully then there’s no need for these to ruin an otherwise successful viewing.
You may not want to say anything that may put them off your home, but nor is it acceptable to lie. It’s important to be honest, but also tactful in your approach. Sandwich any negatives between two positives to minimise their effect, and you should find that little damage is done.
Armed with the right knowledge and a practical approach, your beloved home is sure to sell in no time – leaving you free to get started with making your mark on your new one.
