HOW TO SELL YOUR HOME – IN POOR MARKET CONDITIONS

Declining Markets  can affect property sales

Online searches related to home selling have dramatically increased this year (2023), with Google estimating an increase of 13,000%. This reflects the challenges many face in selling their homes at the moment, i.e. in a more challenging property market.

Key Factors Impacting Home Sales

Whilst there may be a variety of reasons why your property is not selling as quickly as you’d like, below are some general thoughts on how to help maximise the chances of achieving a sale.

The Importance of Driveway Maintenance

The exterior of a home, especially the driveway, plays a crucial role in creating a positive first impression. Enhancing your driveway can potentially increase your property’s value by 13% according to some.

It’s the first thing your potential buyers will see, including possibly online via the estate agent details, so having good ‘curb appeal’ is a great starting point.

Recommendations:

• Install outdoor lighting for evening viewings.
• Regularly remove weeds and debris.
• Consider a power wash to rejuvenate the driveway’s look or even painting it with a suitable coating to give it that newly laid look.
• Prune trees/plants, in particular if they are overhanging and/or blocking sunlight.
• Ensure fencing, walls and boundaries are maintained/repaired, with gates working as they should.

Garden Care is Essential

Generally speaking buyers prefer gardens that don’t require extensive work. A well-maintained garden can boost your home’s value by up to 20% some below.

Recommendations:

• Decorate with chic outdoor furniture and décor.
• Invest in new storage pieces to declutter.
• Refresh the garden with minor redecorations.
• Ensure plants are pruned/maintained.
• Try to arrange viewings when your garden is looking its best and if the aspect is important, time viewings for when maximum light is entering the garden areas.
• If you have sheds/outbuildings, ensure that they are accessible and not cluttered, walls being painted/treated to give a better looking finish.

Energy Efficiency Matters

In today’s market, energy-efficient homes are more desirable. Low energy efficiency can decrease a home’s value in particular in times of increasing energy costs and buyers being more aware of the potential Climate Impact poorly performing buildings may have.

Recommendations:

• Install solar panels if possible, ensuring that the cost of installation is reflected in the sale price and that any revenue/savings are clearly identified and communicated to the potential buyers.
• Upgrade to double or triple-glazed windows.
• Improve home insulation.
• Read the Energy Performance Certification (EPC) and implement recommendations as necessary.Conclusion

Use Professional Photography

High-quality photos can significantly influence a buyer’s perception of your property. Consider hiring a professional photographer to capture your home in the best light and showcase its features effectively.  Focus on key features and views, try to imagine you’re the buyer and not the seller, what would you consider to be the property’s best features?

Host Virtual Tours

In the digital age, virtual tours allow potential buyers to explore your home without physically visiting. This can widen your audience and attract more interested parties.  In addition virtual tours can also allow you to highlight good and bad points, even putting ‘hotspots’ into the tour or having a narrator speaking over the video to provide more detail on key features.

Hire a Professional Surveyor

Engaging a professional surveyor can provide an accurate valuation of your property and/or an impartial opinion on things that a buyer’s surveyor may report on. This ensures your buyers see a more attractive side to the property and could potentially help save sales falling through at a later date when the buyer’s surveyor highlights these matters to the buyer.

Castle Surveyors Limited are experts in property and can provide you with an impartial opinion on your property in advance of a sale/marketing exercise.  This a great way to help sell your home.  If interested get in touch today for an informal chat on 0800 246 1002 or send an email to enquiry@castle-surveyors.co.uk

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