House viewing is a fast-paced process. On average, a home buyer will spend approximately 15-30 minutes in a house during a viewing. That is how long your house has to make a stellar first impression.
A prospective buyer will not remember every little detail but will take away a general feeling. Our savvy estate agents in Stratford can help you better understand and prepare for the entire house selling process.
Check the list compiled by our Stratford estate agents of 5 things every homeowner needs to know about a property before sale in Stratford, London. Keep reading to find out how you can achieve maximum profit with minimum effort.
What you can find in this article:
- It All Starts with an Idea: Plan Ahead
- Call in the Professionals: Find the Most Suitable Estate Agent for You
- Conquer the Market: Correct Pricing is Key
- Now it’s Time for the Hard Work: To Fix or Not to Fix
It All Starts with an Idea: Plan Ahead
Are you thinking about selling property in Stratford, London?
Do you want to change countries, neighbourhoods, or living spaces?
What price do you hope to get for your property?
Are you prepared to bridge the gap between homes?
Are you thinking of further investments?
Are you aware of all the steps involved in selling a property?
Our skilled Stratford estate agents can answer all these questions and more.
Selling a property is about turning a profit, not adding to your costs. However, make no mistake, costs are incurred in selling a property (getting it ready for sale, agent fees, transferring or recording taxes, fees and commissions, relocation costs, to name but a few).
You are treading a fine line between what investments are worth making and what expenses are better avoided. Our experienced Stratford estate agents can advise you on what you need to know to maximise your profit.
When selling, the goal is to get as many views as possible in the shortest time and to close a profitable deal quickly. The more your house sits on the market, the higher your costs will be.
You can get help from our estate agents in Stratford to better understand and navigate these points.
Call in the Professionals: Find the Most Suitable Estate Agent for You
The real estate market isn’t for the faint of heart. Selling property is a taxing process. Unrepresented sellers will likely take longer to get everything ready for sale (property and paperwork), navigate the negotiations, deal with the contracts, and arrive from contract to close.
Everyone knows what the steps are. But are you sure you know what they take?
A buyer needs to be able not only to find your listing but to remain on it for long enough to become interested in viewing it. The internet is so vast, and homebuyers are looking at so many different websites at once in search of properties. Do you even know them all? Every listing is only a click away.
Is your property capable of standing out in such an impressive crowd?
Enlisting the help of our Stratford estate agents will conclusively increase the chances of selling your home quickly and of increasing your profits.
Here’s what a professional estate agent in Stratford can do for you:
- Give you a correct appraisal of your property
- Help you secure the best deal in the shortest time possible
- Guide you every step of the way to ensure the deal is closed successfully
- Provide more visibility for your property by accessing more diversified platforms
- Identify the best marketing plan for your property
- Constant communication with all concerned parties
Conquer the Market: Correct Pricing Is Key
Every house is “sellable” if it is priced correctly.
Most viewings happen in the first five days after listing and a property will be considered “stale” if it stays on the market for longer than 90 days. In the end, your property will reach the correct price. And only then will it be sold.
This is your home you are selling, the house you were born in, or maybe your first house as a newlywed. For you, it holds more than face value. However, this is not the time to get sentimental or you may be tempted to overprice your property.
On the other hand, you may even be advised by less experienced estate agents to drive the price up to favour business.
Unfortunately, overpricing your property will only keep it on the market for longer.
Pricing is critical to a successful sale. Our experienced Stratford estate agents will provide the best advice for a correct appraisal of your property. This will attract more buyers, which will translate into more offers.
In the end, the price you will get for the property will most likely be the same. However, you will have saved on time, costs, and stress.
Now It’s Time for the Hard Work: To Fix or Not to Fix
Walk around the property with a critical eye. Thinking that a buyer will overlook one or two things that need fixing but you have grown accustomed to is a dangerous assumption.
First-time home buyers tend to be ignorant of the challenges and costs of homeownership. Your house should not be the one that opens their eyes to that.
Be sure to address these turn-offs sensibly, though. Do not be tempted to go into full-scale repairs. Styling up your property and fixing the little things will more likely yield a much higher return than repair costs or the price concession you have to make if these become “deal breakers” for a potential buyer.
Before you begin, our skilled Stratford estate agents can provide the best professional advice.
What to Fix
Fixing everything would likely require massive investment. You should focus your efforts and your money on things that are visibly broken and drive the appeal of your house down.
You could enlist the help of our estate agents in Stratford to get customized advice, or you could check to see if you could improve your house from some of the tips listed below:
- Capitalise on any outdoor space
A nice terrace or garden could seriously improve any offer you may get, especially in this post-Covid era. If you have them, outdoor spaces could be one of your best selling points. Make sure they are in tip-top shape. - Remedy items that are visibly broken
When moving in, everyone will invest in adjustments to some extent. However, a broken door, HVAC system, or heater will give the appearance of an uninhabitable house, and this may deter buyers. So, any replacements or repairs which will ensure future inhabitants that they will have all the comfort they need are worth considering. - Outdated fittings and fixtures
You may have inherited them from previous owners, or they may remind you of your aunt. But, if they are not actually valuable, it’s better to replace outdated fitting and fixtures. Ask for help from our estate agents in Stratford for staging your house. - All beige
Colours are some of the first things every viewer will notice. So, better be on the safe side. Remove as many colour blocks as possible, especially if they are contrasting (curtains, carpets, large pillows, abstract paintings), and invest in light, muted, neutral-coloured paint, such as beige, off-white, or grey. If it is more neutral, your house will look more elegant, fashionable, and expensive. - Curtains
They are relatively inexpensive and are also easy to replace. Nice curtains and a modern-looking curtain rod can improve the overall feeling of a property by a lot. What you get is clearly more than what you give when it comes to replacing the curtains.
What Not to Fix
You do not want to make last-minute changes, which could seem like rushed sloppy repairs. The smell of fresh paint in an otherwise not new house could be a red flag, in the end
- “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it”
There is no need to upgrade an HVAC system, an electrical panel, or any heaters because they are old if they are functioning properly. Updating all the systems in the house is a time and money-consuming endeavour. However, keep in mind that you are responsible for remedying or disclosing any dangerous electrical or plumbing issues in the house. For all you need to know as a seller, ask for assistance from our experienced estate agents in Stratford. - Remodelling bathrooms or kitchens
You have been meaning to upgrade your kitchen or your bathroom for so long. Now is not the time for that. Refrain yourself as poor DIY remodelling here and there won’t do much good. Replacing odd tiles or appliances will only make them look out of place. - Carpet or flooring
This could seem similar to curtains, but it is not. If the carpets are visibly stained or torn, remove them, as a bare floor is better than a stained carpet. However, replacing them altogether requires effort and hard work (to move around all the furniture, if nothing else), and an inexpensive carpet might do the room a disservice at the end of the day. - Windows
Replacing the windows could prove to be an investment not recovered in the closing price. Cracked frames, broken seals, windowsills, and ledges, especially on the outside, are not unheard of. They are not the most appealing, but a good tip would be to thoroughly clean the windows and remove old blinds and screens. Natural light does wonders for any room. - Normal wear and tear
Costly major repairs would be necessary to remove all signs of wear and tear. If not visibly broken, signs and marks are, after all, natural.
Opening Night: Stage your House Right
It’s Showtime
First of all, do not neglect the impact of good curb appeal. A freshly mown lawn and nice curtains could, in the eyes of a prospective buyer, make the difference between a house and a home.
Be ready to show your house without requiring too much prior notice
Sometimes, house-hunting is just one tick on a long to-do list for buyers. If you turn them away, there is a good chance they may not come back.
Make Your House as Inviting as You Can
Maybe have a professional come in and do a deep cleaning of the house. Inspect for dampness, bad smells, pet odours, dark rooms, dirt, dust, and clutter.
Rearrange, if necessary, and keep your house on the neutral side, as you want to appeal to the masses. This is where our estate agents in Stratford can best advise you.
In the Summer, Be Sure to Have the A/C Going
A stuffed room will keep the mind of home buyers on pretty much nothing else but the heat. In the winter, keep the heaters running, so there is a comfortable temperature and a cosy feeling in your house.
You can even bake something, as fresh out of the oven pie is a smell few people do not associate with home.
Leave
So, you have ticked all the boxes, the house is repaired, decluttered, cleaned, and staged. Now, it’s best for you to leave. A house is better shown by the professionals.
Buyers will feel more comfortable looking around your house if you are not there. And our knowledgeable estate agents in Stratford can better guide them and answer any questions they may have.
Thinking of selling your property in Stratford, London? Our experienced estate agents in Stratford can provide the best advice and ensure a better price and better terms for your sale. Contact our experienced agents today at 02070550441.
