subject: 30 Ways To Clinch A Sale [print this page] So, you need to sell your house but viewings are scarce and no-one has seemed remotely interested. You're at the end of your tether and in desperate need to sell - and the economic meltdown is not making things easier. What can you do to help this situation?
Continue reading to discover precisely how to secure a sale inside a market that is stagnant.
1 Evaluate Your Position
If you've been trying to sell your home for a while with little success, it might be a good plan to take it off the market for a month to give yourself a chance to make some changes (see below), perhaps even finding a new agent. A whole new start might just be what you need to see the challenge with fresh eyes and market the property in a more effective way.
If you are even thinking about trying to sell your home in a flat market, do not even start the ball rolling until you have read our tips below.
2 Sort Your Finances
Ensuring that you are completely ready for the sale is essential to all proceedings going smoothly once an offer has been accepted. So line up your solicitor and have your mortgage and finance organised.
3 Get An Estate Agent's Valuation
Evaluate your home - including its bad points - and carefully consider its value. Although it is undoubtedly beneficial to get at least a few estate agents over for a 'no obligation' valuation, bear in mind that you may well have to do some maintenance, too.
4. What Repairs Are Needed?
Not sure what needs fixing? When the estate agents come round to value your property, ask them for a brutally honest appraisal of what to get rid of or change, and whether there are any major flaws. You might be able to improve some easily.
5. Get Your Home Ready for Sale
Have the house 100 per cent sale ready. Get rid of all clutter, it can make the room look smaller and unappealing. Some pieces can be put into storage for a nominal cost. It's pointless spending a fortune on exquisite decor that may only be to your taste and not that of a new purchaser. Spend your money wisely on necessary repairs, and if your colour schemes are loud and individual, redecorate them with neutral shades. Make sure that the exterior of your property is clean and tidy - painting the front door or fence can make a huge difference. Dress the front with tubs of flowers etc. It is vital that the house is clean.
6 Sort Your Home's Kerb Appeal
Improve your home's kerb appeal by tidying up the front garden, door and sills, as well as making sure that the house number or name is visible and attractive. First impressions are really important, so little things like this could make a huge difference to the attitude potential buyers have when entering your house. Keep your rooms tidy all the time, too, as you can expect people to come and have a peek through the windows even when there's no viewing booked.
7 Research The Local Market
If you have improved the house a lot since the last set of valuations, get the agents round again to value the property. Once you've got those valuations, research the market yourself for similar properties nearby, either through agent windows, local property supplements or property websites, and find out what price they are on at. If a similar house to yours in your street is on at 350,000, marketing yours at 345,950 (for example) might well get you more viewers and a quicker sale.
8 Find Out What Homes Nearby Sold For
Next you can find out the exact prices that houses have actually sold for. With this information you'll be able to negotiate with potential buyers on the price, so it'll prove very valuable later on.
9 Eye Up The Competition
Get an idea of the quality of the competition - what other properties are your potential purchasers viewing - how does your home stack up against these? Be aware that you potential purchasers will be comparing all properties within their price range, so yours really needs to stand out.
10. Do Your Homework To Find The Best Agent
Although it may be tempting to pick the agent that gives you the highest valuation, don't forget that this isn't a guaranteed sale price. A much better way to choose an agent is to find out what they can offer, compare fees, check some testimonials and finally - but most importantly - look over the contract; it may tie you to the agency for too long a period. Bear in mind that if you choose to have multiple listings you will probably have to pay multiple fees, so make sure that you read all the small print thoroughly.
11. Use The Best Estate Agent For You
Because buyers will likely go to an agent that they know deals mostly with the price range and type of property they are looking for, it's important that you make sure that the agent you choose also markets similar homes to yours.
12 Set An Asking Price
We all want to achieve the maximum price for our property, but if priced too steeply, it will be passed over as too expensive. Research is key, and it is imperative that you take your agents advice on this matter.
13. Be Proactive When Marketing Your Home
Ask your agent about how you can actively get your house in front of as many suitable potential buyers as possible - make sure your home is constantly prominent in their window, on their website - will they set up an 'open-house' day to get lots of people through the door on one day?
14. Don't Settle For Less
Is your home being shown in its best light? Make sure you look over the photograph and details that are being sent out beforehand. Get up-to-date pictures taken and make sure all the property's best points are highlighted, such as local amenities.
15. Know Your Target Market
whether you're marketing to retired people, families or young couples, your agent will be able to advise you who your target market is. When you have this information you can make sure that you talk about your home in a way that is relevant to them - and only arrange viewers to those who are likely to find the property suitable. After all, it would be pointless to show a family with two children around a one bedroom flat.
16. Get an EPC Sorted
Home Information Packs may be a far and distant memory, but you must have commissioned your Energy Performance Certificate when you put your house on the market. It's purpose is to inform buyers as to exactly how efficient your property is, but don't stress out if your older period property doesn't do well - it is rare to find an older property that does do particularly well, and usually buyers are aware of this fact.
17. Get Feedback
Once the house goes on the market, stay in regular contact with your agent, phoning them after every viewing for feedback, which, if you can action, be sure to do so (ie, if someone thought the plumbing problems in your bathroom were a real turn-off, get them fixed).
18. Know Your Home
Make sure you know your property down to every last detail. As well as room measurements and the type of boiler that you have, find out about all the local amenities that are available - especially schools, public transport, hospitals and shops.
19. What Added Benefits Can You Provide?
It's all about making your home seem like such a good bargain, if there is a decent set of swings or climbing frame in the garden and you would be happy to throw them in as part of the asking price, make sure you tell them. Same thing goes for first time buyers and curtains.
20. Show Off Your Space
A double bedroom has more value than a single, and a single bedroom has more value than a study, so show the rooms off to their best use to maximise their appeal.
21 Dress Your Home For A Viewing
Although it goes without saying that your home should be immaculate, there are a few other staging tips which will help on the day. Get some fresh flowers for the table and put on the coffee (or bread) maker, and put away family photos - the buyer wants to be able to visualise themselves living there, not you! If you need some more ideas then visit some local developments, where thousands of pounds are spent dressing homes to show them off to their best advantage.
22. Clear The House For A Viewing
If you're desperate for a sale, desperate measures are called for, so if you've got pets, ban them from the majority (if not all) of rooms while the house is on the market, make sure you neutralise their odour (even if you can't smell it, others will and it can be very off-putting). Last but not least, turf the pets, kids and other half out for the duration the viewing - there's nothing worse than trying to view a house that's full of people and noise.
23 Get An Experienced Agent To Show Your Home
It is always a good idea to have your estate agent present at the viewing, ensure that the person from the agency has a good knowledge of your home and can really sell it. It's no good a junior with no real knowledge turning up, and if this is the case, you should be there to market your house yourself. If, however, a senior team member can be there, your presence could hinder rather than help if you are not careful. If in doubt, check with your agent.
24 Get Your Sales Pitch Right
If you are showing people around your home on your own, know in advance the order in which they should view each room. Allow viewers to enter the room first, then follow them in. This lets them see the room from a better vantage point, if the room is on the small side, it can make it feel more spacious. Keep doors as wide open as you can, this also gives a feeling of space. Take into account the benefits of each room and share them with viewers. Then let them walk around on their own. Keep a low profile, maybe popping into the garden for a while to give the buyers chance to chat without you hovering over them.
25 Don't Look Desperate
Be cool, calm and positive about your home, have all information to hand, such as utility bills, guarantees and notes about maintenance work. Enthuse about the plus points of living in your area, such as good schools, a local swimming pool, good commuter links, etc. Give your viewers time to peruse your home on their own, let them feel free to walk around the house and garden without you hovering over them.If you don't feel confident to do the viewings on your own, ask the agent to do it.
26 Be Positive
Although you will have to be honest about any major problems such as subsidence or damp, don't give anything away that will be of detriment to the sale price. Don't let on that you're desperate to sell! Instead, have an informal chat with the potential buyers and try to find out their circumstances.
27. Consider On An Offer
In advance know exactly the lowest figure that you would be prepared to accept for a sale in as this will help you make a decision when you do get an offer. Be informed about your buyer's situation, it is important to know exactly what position they are in, ie, do they need to move quickly? Are they chain-free, cash-buyers? And if you are paying for an agent, use them to deal with the buyers. Your Conveyancing solicitor will also be able to inform you of these details.
28 Start A Negotiation
Always begin a negotiation with a price higher than you would be willing to accept, as the buyer will always being the price down from there. If you receive a particularly low offer, don't immediately dismiss it; instead tell them the range you are prepared to go with and see what they say.
29. Take The Offer and Run!
Don't delay on getting the move underway after you've accepted an offer. Contact your mortgage lender, organise your survey, notify utilities and arrange final readings, arrange mail redirection, and book a removal service. Keep in touch with your solicitor to make sure that the transaction keeps moving forward - don't let the sale fall through because of any delays.
30. Keep Your Sale Active
Even once the offer has been accepted you do not have to take your property off the market. This is really up to you whether you do this or not, but you must inform the relevant parties as to what you are going to do. The estate agent is legally obliged to tell you of new offers, right up to the point when you exchange contracts, though you risk upsetting your buyer as he or she will have already paid out for legal and valuation/survey fees. They have a completely different system in Scotland. This is not good practice (morally), but in a stagnant market, obtaining the maximum that you can for your property is vital, and keeping the property on the market during the start of the sale makes good sense.
