When the perfect property comes along, you may feel that the race is on to sell your old home. Others who have had their property on the housing market for some time may become pretty desperate too and will try just about anything to get that sold sign by their front gate. With a multitude of house selling tips and guides, sellers are getting hung up on small and insignificant details. It’s easy to feel like your home is under scrutiny and that you are having to pitch your property and self as a seller to potential buyers however, generally, if a prospective buyer falls in love with your home; trivial quirks will not put them off. Our guide, “I’m Out” House Selling Deal Breakers That Really Aren’t, looks at which house selling hacks are over-rated when selling your home.
Offensive Comments
If those viewing your home verbalise what they think is in need of changing or point out some potential small repair works, the likelihood is, they are envisaging what it would be like to live in your home and how they could make it their own. Try not to feel overly protective of your home; you are after all selling the property. It can sometimes feel like a slight on your fashion taste or like they are trying to undo all the years of hard work you spent building a property. It is therefore important that you do not feel disheartened or feel like they are put off by a shade of wallpaper. These negative noises can, ironically, be positive noises too!
Taking down your family portraits so that potential buyers can visualise their families living there
Your family pictures show that a house has been lived in and loved. Unsurprisingly, the odd scuff on a skirting board, or your son’s Sophie the Giraffe teether not being in a cupboard, will not diminish the possibility of your property being sold. Providing your tastes are not overtly zany, quirky or inappropriate; your personal affects will not hinder your selling of the property either. There is no need to paint your entire home magnolia!
Not having a bath
Modern living trends has seen an increase in the usage of showers rather than baths. This was supported by research undertaken by GoCompare, who concluded that, 61% of potential buyers claimed to prefer to make use of showers rather than baths. Usually, houses without baths lack the space for one to be installed, so this worry is a pointless one anyway. If however your house did have enough room, it offers potential buyers the option to install one at a later date should they wish to do so.
Air fresheners
An owner’s overzealous use of air fresheners can be off-putting. Sickly-sweet and pungent aromas can overwhelm the senses and will likely cause the potential buyer’s attention to be drawn to the house ‘smelling funny’, rather than focussing on the property’s assets. Believe us, your home’s natural smell, really isn’t that bad! Providing your pet hasn’t created an unpleasant aroma or your bins are overflowing – you have nothing to worry about.
Autumn Leaves
When selling a house, some are tempted to spend ages beautifying their gardens. Making sure that your garden is presentable is one thing, but if you live in a particularly leafy area; some sellers become somewhat obsessive about raking up falling leaves. An array of autumn colours can also be aesthetically pleasing, so spend your time on more important tasks such as emptying the bins and cleaning up any unwashed dishes. In the winter months, it is worth gritting your driveway for safety purposes, as well as making it easier for your viewers to access the property.
Adopting a relaxed and friendly approach when welcoming viewers is far more likely to help when selling your home than any quick-fix tips. Structural issues such as damp and rot are different and would be in need of addressing before people come to view the property.
If however your home is structurally sound and is clean and tidy in appearance, then it is aspects such as the property’s locations and size that will merit a larger weighting in the buyer’s decision making process.
With years of experience in selling homes fast, we can help to sell your property quickly without the fuss.
Feature image credit: Moneky Business Images/Shutterstock
