My 10 golden rules for selling your property

Next time you decide to up sticks, use Sarah’s expert advice to make things a little easier

Sarah Beeny on styling and financial advice for selling up and moving on

‘A property is only worth as much as someone is prepared to pay for it’

1

CHRISTMAS is the new spring in the property market. One of the busiest ‘shopping times’ for homes is over the holiday period, with Boxing Day at the very peak of this: the new tech received as a gift is put to immediate use to search for a new home! The process of house purchasing has shifted from people starting their buying process because they had a ‘need’, to the current tendency to start by window shopping online. When they see the house of their dreams, it galvanises them into action. If you’re considering selling, now is the time to get on to the market. While there has been a bit of a slowdown in the past year or so, in a few areas of the UK, this has tended to be at the top end and there is now evidence to suggest the market will become a sellers’ one again. 2 THE MOST IMPORTANT thing to consider before putting your home on the market is how much you need/want to sell, and this should be reflected in the asking price. Bear in mind that a property is only worth as much as someone is prepared to pay for it, so while it may be tempting to add another £50,000 to the asking price, make sure you don’t price yourself out of the market and end up with no viewings, unless you’re not too concerned whether you sell or not. The best thing is to research what has recently sold locally, as well as what is on the market and for how much. Also get valuations from various agents.

3 ONCE YOU HAVE decided on your asking price, make sure you choose an agent who will get you noticed. I would look at websites and choose one that’s beautifully designed and makes homes look fabulous. ALWAYS have a ‘for sale’ board unless you have a very, very good reason why not, as the visibility will enhance the chance of offers. Next, you need to make sure you have instructed your solicitor and gathered all the necessary paperwork, so when you get an offer, there’s no delay.

4

PEOPLE OFTEN ask me if you should do work on a property before putting it on the market. The short answer is – it depends. Consider what a buyer would like. Certainly a home cannot ever be too clean and that costs very little – purchasers are more likely to want to buy if they don’t need to start with a bottle of bleach! Resist the temptation to redecorate if the house needs a new roof, rewiring and replumbing. You’ll almost certainly not recoup the money it costs, and there’s a danger it will fall between the two desirable camps of a ‘do-er upper’ and a ‘move straight in-er’. Having said that, retouching paintwork is a no-brainer if it’s been quite recently decorated, as is fixing a broken door handle or a cracked tile. In short, if it’s ‘snagging’, I’d suggest it’s a good idea – if it’s more like ‘major work’, make sure you’ve considered whether you’ll get a return on your investment.

5

BE CAREFUL not too declutter too far. While your taxidermy collection may be best boxed away in the attic, avoid removing all evidence of life from a property. It should feel like a home, so needs a bit of personality. Books, plants, pictures and cushions are good for achieving this in a quite neutral way. Avoid endless empty surfaces that make a property feel as though you are halfway through moving out.

6

MAKE SURE it’s not too hot or too cold. A freezing cold house feels horribly unwelcoming but a stuffy home with no air is just as bad. Cheap air fresheners cause allergic reactions in lots of people, and they also smell horrible and nothing like the ‘summer breeze’ they claim. Fresh herbs in a pot are always a winner, as is bread or a cake in the oven, but try to avoid it all looking too ‘set up’. 7 WHEN PEOPLE LOOK round, try to avoid sticking too close to them and stating the obvious ‘this is the kitchen and this is the oven and this is the window’. It’s much better to let people have a bit of space and enable them to imagine living in the property.

8

WHAT TO DO if you haven’t got an offer? Once you are a couple of months into marketing, assuming you have a good agent, great photos and enticing details, you’re probably asking too much. There is little point in dropping the asking price by a couple of thousand and expecting it to make any difference: you really need to get down into another search bracket to generate lots more interest. You’re better off with two or three people who all offer and push the price back up than no interest at all. 9 ONCE YOU GET your offer, put some date markers in place. If you’re all working to a realistic calendar for the surveys, exchange and completion, it avoids disappointment. Dates may end up moving but at least everyone is aware of them. 10 WHICH AGENT? Traditional high-street estate agents charge an average fee of 1.5% of your sale price, plus 20% VAT, while online agents have a flat fee of £300-£1,500 regardless of your property’s value. But check what you’re getting for your money. My own online agent, Tepilo, takes photos, values your home and negotiates on your behalf, and charges a flat fee of £645. There are a few hybrid agents, with high-street as well as online presence: go for one with great service and a strong brand.