DON’T FAIL TO MAKE A SALE
The smell of fresh bread and coffee no longer cuts it when selling a home – you need to work hard to make it attractive to buyers
The old advice when selling a home was to greet buyers with the smell of fresh coffee and newly baked bread rolls. No one falls for that any more. When selling a property, or trying to find tenants for a flat or house to let, remember the next set of people to live in the home have probably got a turn-offs check-list.
Even if you live in an area of high demand, if you fail on “no-no” items, then expect less when the deal is finalised.
Insurance and money comparison site Go Compare has come up with a list of negatives – items that tell property viewers either the place is overpriced or they should try elsewhere.
Damp stains on walls and ceilings top the list. They are unsightly, often unhealthy – especially if there is evidence of fungus – and can be the first signs of something worse such as rot. Buyers will have no idea of how much it might cost to put matters right – so they will go elsewhere.
No one wants to move into a property with rotting window frames or peeling paintwork. Expect some price bargaining.
But you can do something about a dirty house – get it cleaned professionally.
Some turn-offs are difficult or impossible to fix. So own up straight away. Poor or non-existent parking means either you suggest the nearest parking place or tell new owners or tenants to use public transport or cycle – easier in big cities.
And if you have no garden, the only way forward is to show them how nice the local park is – or where they can find an allotment. But a bigger turnoff is rubbish in neighbouring gardens – no one wants to move in and discover the people nextdoor are a potential nightmare.
More than half would not consider properties with bad broadband or poor mobile phone connections.
Suggesting alternative providers can sometimes help.
Bad smells are a turn-off. But prospective tenants or buyers can deal with cigarettes or pets – damp is far more difficult.
People want up-to-date electrics. Landlords should ensure wiring and sockets are up to date – if these are dangerous they could be legally liable. Property sellers should have ready estimates to put it right, and perhaps lower prices.
Other problems which lead people to avoid properties include proximity to major roads and motorways, bad DIY, unfinished washing up and empty food packages in the kitchen, and stone cladding or pebble dash on exterior walls, which can hide horrors.
There’s one negative not on the Go Compare list – finding the present inhabitants in bed or not dressed during a property viewing.