INSIDER SECRETS

1. INSIDER SECRETS For a Faster Home Sale

2. 1 Contents • Introduction • First Impressions • Loose the Clutter • Fresh & Light • Spick & Span • Define Your Rooms • Finish Any Outstanding Jobs • Don’t Forget the Garden • Finding a Buyer

3. 2 Introduction Top Tips for a Faster Home Sale The stress that you endure when selling your home is right up there with getting a divorce or opening a business. A lot of this stress is caused by the length of time that it actually takes to find that all important buyer. This guide has been created to provide you, the home seller with an insider guide on selling your home faster. You need to present your home so that it will appeal to the broadest possible buying audience, the trick is to ensure that the buyer can imagine themselves living in your home as soon as they walk in. The National Estate Agents have revealed the secrets to achieving a fast sale at the highest possible price.

4. 3 First Impressions Remember the old saying, ‘first impressions count’ and when selling you home, they certainly do. Any entrances to the property should be free from clutter, be warm and welcoming, line the path to your front door with potted plants on either side. Make sure that the doors open freely and the entrance hall or porch are not crowded with coats or untidy shoes etc.

5. 4 Loose the Clutter You might feel comfortable in a house that is cluttered with mess, but it makes a room look smaller than it actually is, a cluttered room will also send a very negative and no doubt, unwanted, message to a potential buyer. Make sure that you tidy away personal or family photos and books. If you cannot find the space to store your less personal items, take as much as you can to your local refuse site. If you do not want to do this you may wish to consider renting a temporary storage space to make your home feel that much more spacious.

6. 5 Fresh & Light Potential buyers will not be able to visualise themselves living in a home that is either too dark, the walls are painted too bright, patterned or just plain ugly. Paint your walls using light, neutral colours and try to stay away from frilly heavy net curtains that will stop the light from coming into the room. It always works well to introduce splashes of colour and personality by using throws, cushions, rugs, table cloths and flowers.

7. 6 Spick & Span Before a potential buyer comes to view your home you must clean, clean then clean some more. This can add more value and appeal to your house than almost anything else. The Kitchen and Bathroom are the two most important rooms so make them sparkle, but do not just stop there. Dust every surface, ornament and lampshade you possess, vacuum clean your carpets, wipe clean any ceramic or laminate flooring and polish any solid wood features that you have. It never hurts to leave a nice clean smell of polish.

8. 7 Define Your Rooms Every room should have a clear function and identity. Play up the existence of extra rooms like a dining room by cleaning away all the children’s homework and games. A fourth room could be a bedroom, a study or a dressing room, but not all three at the same time. Organise some storage systems so that the principle function of each room can be clearly defined to any potential buyers. If you have the use of loft space, use it, buyers will not normally want to look in your loft, better to keep your junk there than to have it on full show!

9. 8 Finish any Outstanding Jobs Make sure that you have done all of those little jobs that you have been meaning to finish, you know the ones that you have saved for a rainy day! If you are not very experienced in D.I.Y, then try and get someone else in who is, better that than be left with a ‘DIY SOS’ situation. A definite no no! Things such as a front doorbell that does not work or a half-finished shelf gives a potential purchaser the impression of bad workmanship, and sends signals that there may be other, more significant aspects of the house that need attention.

10. 9 Don’t Forget the Garden Any potential purchaser will want to see your garden and it is as important as your kitchen or lounge so make sure your lawn has been mown and the edges are neat and trimmed. Check your flower beds for weeds, clip any hedges and clear any clutter, and for that real ‘wow’ factor place some pots on the patio if you have one. Make sure the any bins are hidden and any hosepipes are wound up neatly.

11. 10 Finding the Buyers Congratulations! You have now optimised the value of your home and have prepared it to be sold, all you have to do now is find the purchasers! Now you need an Estate Agent! We recommend Link Up Properties who are a national estate agency and charge lower fees than almost any other estate agent in the country, most importantly they get the results you require quickly. They can be contacted free on 0800 072 0800 or check out there website www.linkupproperties.co.uk Good Luck.