Tips to Sell Your House Fast in 2019
If you’re looking to sell your house quickly or struggling to sell, these tips could help make the difference in getting the house sale you are after.
Alternatively, if you’re looking for a quick house sale with a property buying company such as Stratus Property Solutions you can use the Contact Button on the right hand side.
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Presentation
It’s quite obvious that how your property looks is important when you are trying to sell your house fast – but the number of people who neglect to make it look attractive to potential buyers is surprising.
Garden or outside space: If you have a garden or outside space of any kind, then you need to think about making it look like an attractive place that people would want to spend time. Many people view a garden or balcony as an extra room or extension of the house – so could be a deal-breaker for them.
Outside of the property: Kerb appeal can be everything. People have often made a decision about whether or not they are interested in buying a property just from how it looks on the outside before they step over the threshold. This means it’s important that you get the property looking its best on the outside – not just on the inside.
Appearance: Staging a property – much like property developers do when they are trying to sell a new home – can be a good way of getting someone to fall in love with it.
- Tidy up: For every viewing make sure the property is clean and tidy. Prospective buyers won’t appreciate having to step over your toddler’s toys or looking at your dirty dishes from the night before
- Make it smell good: Nobody likes the smell of wet dog, stale cigarettes or cooking smells. Bake bread or brew coffee in the kitchen to help disguise smells and give it a homely feel. Burn scented candles or essential oils in other rooms.
- Get rid of clutter: If you have lots of old toys, niknaks, or just unnecessary stuff around the house find somewhere to store it. This will make the rooms in the property feel bigger
Decor
How the property is decorated – the colour of the walls and furniture, the condition of carpets, peeling wallpaper – can cause a potential buyer to either love or hate it instantly.
Paint over bright coloured walls: People can really be put off by bright colours in a property and some colours can even make a room feel smaller. Instead of bright colours opt for neutral colours and if you want to add personality or colour to a room do it through accessories such as cushions or flowers
Replace brightly patterned or peeling wallpaper: Some people love wallpaper, others hate it with a passion. If you have wallpaper in your property try to look at it through fresh eyes. Does it have a bold, brightly coloured pattern on it which may not be liked by everyone? If so, it’s probably best to replace it with something more neutral. If the wallpaper is peeling then try to repair it or replace it
Touch up paintwork: Day-to-day living means that inevitably walls, doors and skirting boards will suffer wear and tear. Touching up the paintwork on these, or giving them a whole new coat of paint, can have a surprising effect on a room. Don’t forget to also look up and touch up any paintwork on ceilings
Home Improvements
If you are willing to spend a bit of money then there are some home improvements you can do to sell your property fast as well as adding value. The two main rooms that people focus on when viewing a property are the kitchen and bathroom:
Kitchen: A property’s kitchen is one of its biggest sellers. If your kitchen is outdated or shabby (but not chic) then you may want to think about fitting a new kitchen. But, if you don’t want to spend this kind of money then there are some smaller (less costly) things you can do to improve how it looks without breaking the bank.
Bathroom: Not many buyers can see past an avocado or pink suite to see the potential of a bathroom. People can also be put off by a bathroom that only has a shower and no bath (and vise versa).
Rendering: If the outside of the property is pebbledash or brick and unattractive then rendering a property can greatly transform its appearance and give it much greater kerb appeal.
Marketing
You could have an incredible property in a desirable location – but if it’s not being marketed well then you will never sell it.
Get good photos taken: The pictures on your for sale listing can really help – or hinder – in selling your property quickly. Well taken photos can help to attract more people through the door for viewings. Many estate agents now offer this as standard, but if you aren’t happy with the photos they take ask them to do them again or supply your own. The more photos, from lots of different angles, the better
Update the photos regularly: If your property has been on the market for a while then get some new photos taken to keep your listing fresh looking. If you have a garden then get new photos of it taken when all the flowers are in bloom and get rid of any photos with things such as Christmas trees in them if it’s no longer appropriate to include them.
Make a video: A video tour of your property is a great way to entice in potential buyers and gives a better idea of the layout and space available. Some estate agents now offer these. If your estate agent doesn’t then ask if they would be willing to include a video you’ve made on the listing. You can also share it on your social media and ask friends and family to do the same.
Include floorplans: Having a floorplan of your home can help people to visualise the property better when they are looking at listings online. Many people will have an idea in their head of what they want the layout of their new property to be – this means many people choose to view a property based on the floorplans alone. So, if you don’t have floorplans some people will just skip over your listing
Go multi-agent: Many people think you have to just have one estate agent representing your property but the reality is that you can have as many as you like. In theory having several agents touting your property should mean that it reaches more potential buyers and your property sells more quickly. The catch is that you will probably end up paying higher fees. Estate agents tend to save their lowest fees for people who chose them on a sole agency basis. If they are one of a few agencies competing to sell the property then you can expect the fees you will need to pay to the agent that sells your property to be higher.
Alternative Quick Sale Methods
Use a quick sale company: There are some estate agents that specialise in getting quick house sales. They have a portfolio of investors who are ready to buy properties.
Use a professional property buyer: Professional property buyers. They can often buy them in just a matter of days.
Stratus Property Solutions: Are both profesional property buyers AND work with a portfolio of investors which allows us to ensure your property is sold quickly and easily with no fuss.