So you’ve outgrown your current home, you’ve decided to sell, you’re excited, you’re nervous if you haven’t moved before, you’re bewildered by the number and variety of agents and friends and family all chip in with their well meant advice which has made you more confused. It’s a misconception that all you need to do to sell your house is stick it on one of the property portals. Choosing the right agent is vitally important if you want to climb to that next rung on the ladder. Here’s some advice
Your Target Market
When selling it’s essential that you understand who is likely to buy your house because in order to generate interest and offers you need to get the right people through the door. For example, if you are selling a two bedroomed terrace your buyers aren’t going to be a large family. It’s easy to imagine that your home could appeal to everyone but chances are it won’t, everyone’s needs and tastes are different. If you try to cast your net too widely you risk missing out on your best prospects. If you are selling your first home and selling a house is new to you, think about why you bought the property. What was it about the house that made you buy it – the access to bars and restaurants, the ease of the commute. Who is your property likely to appeal to.
Right Agent, Right House
Having identified your target market you need to work out which agent is likely to be selling your type of property, if you are selling that two bedroomed terraced house in town the agent selling it is likely to be a high street agent not the one that sells the million pound country mansion. Do your research and visit local agents or look online to see what type of houses they are selling. When choosing an agent, people often drive round the local area to see which agents have the most boards as a measure of which agent is the most active. If you do this look at the type of locations where your type of house is situated. Don’t just look at For Sale boards, look for Sold slips on the boards, as an indication of which agents are actually selling.
Not All Agents Are The Same
Estate Agents have a bad press and sometimes this is justified but often it isn’t, having worked in the industry I know that a lot of hard work goes in to the selling process. If your budget is limited then it’s tempting to opt for the cheapest but bear in mind what you want is the best selling price, an agent may charge more but if they achieve a higher selling price then it’s worth paying the extra. Consider factors such as the quality of the listing, do the Particulars contain sufficient information, are the photos taken by a professional photographer, does the agent have a dedicated sales progressor. A third of house sales fall through before completion so having an agent who is proactive at seeing the sale through from offer to exchange and then completion is crucial. Presentation – is this something that the agent discusses with you or do they simply take things as they are? Presentation is a very important aspect of maximising your sale price. Why? Because most buyers do their searching online and if the images they see on your home’s listing aren’t appealing they may not even bother to click through. Plus you want your home to stand out from the competition.
Do you want to know if your home would benefit from professional styling to look it’s best, or are you on the market but not sold, my Fact Finding session is the perfect way to find out. Call now on 07745 876182 or e mail me at info@homestyle4u.com. I cover the Wirral, Cheshire and the North West.
