Guide to Selling Property

When trying to sell your home quickly and for the most money, nothing matters more than home staging.

You can spend hours dusting ceiling corners, scrubbing out the most stubborn stains in the carpet, but it won’t count for much if you haven’t staged your property properly.

Staging is the process of making your property feel homely and inviting to potential buyers.

According to a recent study conducted by Carpetright, 75% of people agree that the layout of a room can impact their mood. Whilst two-thirds found a messy room to be stress-inducing.

If you can positively influence how someone feels when they step into your home, they’re going to be more open to purchasing - it’s all about finding that perfect ‘Feng Shui’! But how do you stage your property to appeal to the vast majority of people?

Stimulating your guests’ senses with smells and sights is crucial to evoking emotions as they wander through your home. Essential oil diffusers or scented candles are the obvious go-to’s and are certainly worth the investment, but think about how colours and materials can also be used to create different atmospheres.

When it comes to décor, for example, certain colours can evoke specific feelings and emotions. Yellow is commonly associated with optimism, tones of green and blue with harmony, while reds and oranges go hand in hand with warmth and excitement. Don’t worry if you haven’t got any of this going on already, just a few simple additions in the form of cushions, rugs and other small furnishings can make all the difference.

Plants, as well as natural materials like wood and stone, can also be effective at creating positive vibes for a potential buyer. Plants especially have a calming and de-stressing effect on the human psyche and should be used throughout your property to stimulate close proximity to nature. Again this doesn’t require an expensive splurge. Simply head down to your nearest garden centre and stock up on the plants that go nicely with your colour palette and style of property.

Use of lighting can be a very effective way of creating a homely ambience. A drab, poorly lit space will be an immediate turn-off for potential buyers. Instead, make use of standing lamps, tasteful LED lights and intricate fairy lights to signal warmth and comfort. Everything you’d want to feel in your own home!

Lamps and extra lighting will be especially important in colder, darker months. You want your home to be well-lit to evoke a bright and airy environment rather than the dingy and dull feelings commonly associated with winter.

Remember that piece of research mentioned at the beginning of this article? Two-thirds of people find a messy room stress-inducing.

Now obviously you’re not going to have a messy home when showing it off to potential buyers. But clutter is different to mess.

Someone’s interpretation of clutter could be your beloved treasures and trinkets laid over every surface. Clutter obstructs the buyer’s ability to imagine their own things in the space.

Avoid making this common mistake by storing all your personal items in boxes when the viewings start. The look you should be striving for is minimalist but homely.

It’s not just the inside of your property that needs to feel appealing.

Remember, any outside space you have with the property will be a potential buyer’s first impression and therefore needs to make an impact.

Make sure any garden space is well maintained (getting rid of any pet poo in the process), tidy up the pathway and entrance space around your front door, and put the bins out of sight if possible.

The exterior of your home should be just as appealing and inviting as the interior.

So now you know how to stage your home like a pro, but what else can really make the difference when it comes to selling your home quickly and for maximum value?

There’s really no point going to all that effort staging your property if the pictures you show to potential buyers don’t compel them to want to go view it!

The images need to be bright, clean and ideally taken by someone who knows what they’re doing. This is not something you can really afford to scrimp on! It’s as simple as that.

Be smart and flexible with viewings

Be prepared to accept viewing on short notice.

Yes, it’s going to be a bit disruptive for a while, but then you never know when the perfect buyer may walk through the door.

It’s important to be smart about this however and avoid organising these viewings during busy times of the day.

Likewise, if you have noisy, disruptive neighbours, try to avoid times when they are usually home.

It may seem obvious, but ensuring your property is listed for a fair and accurate price will save you a lot of time and effort in the long-run.

Your agent should give you the best advice based on current market conditions. However, there’s nothing wrong with comparing this price with other properties recently sold in the local area.

Or, if you’re really unsure, you could always get a second opinion from an independent property valuation.

It really depends on the property. A standard city flat is much easier to put a value on than a quirky, detached cottage somewhere out in the country.

A good mortgage provider will support you through the loan securing process whilst also helping you decide on a budget for your next property.

Your estate agent can often put you in touch with somebody local, or you can do your own research to find the best mortgage provider for your specific situation.

When choosing the right mortgage however, there are a couple of important questions to consider, these include:

• How much can you borrow?
• How big a deposit that you can put down? Fixed or variable rate mortgage?
• Any additional fees?
• Do you qualify for any government schemes?

Finding the right solicitor will be key to quickening up the house selling process. However, for this to work, you will also need to be organised and proactive with paperwork, making sure to submit all relevant forms and information as early as possible.

If you miss a deadline for something small, it could have a knock-on effect with other parts of the process, causing bigger headaches down the line. But how do you find the right solicitor?

Here are our tips:

• Ask for recommendations
• Consider a local firm
• Have an initial chat and ask any questions before pushing on with the process
• Consider the size of the firm that they work for
• Don’t think about the price too much (cheapest fees don’t always mean the best fees!)

Moving house is never easy, but using these tips and tricks will help ensure you sell your home quickly and for the most money possible. You’re welcome!