Issue 9 - Mar 2008. How To Sucessfully Sell Your House

When selling your house you need to be sure that you can attract the right buyer and secure the sale at the best price possible. To achieve this it is key to present your property in the right way. Louise Cooper, Estate Agency Manager at Sydney Mitchell Solicitors and Estate Agents talks through the do's and don'ts when selling your house.

First impressions count, so remember the kerb appeal of your home.

Try your best to make sure your house looks well maintained and inviting from the front. Kerb appeal goes a long way towards helping you secure a sale. Invest in some potted plants or hanging baskets, and get any driveway or footpath jet washed.

You never get a second chance to make a first impression so make sure that your Entrance Porch/Hallway is clean and tidy. Maybe buy a new welcome matt or a scented plant, and move any shoe racks.

Make sure your home smells nice. Everybody knows that the smell of freshly ground coffee and baked bread is the most appealing, but lets face it – who has the time for that? The main thing is your house smells neutral or clean; the smell of last night's dinner won't do anything to entice a potential purchaser.

Lighting is very important, so make sure your house is well lit. Turn on lamps and wall lights and make sure blinds and curtains are open during the day. If your house lacks a lot of natural daylight, make sure your leave the internal doors open, making the most of the light you have.

Make sure your flooring is clean. If necessary, it's a good idea to get your carpets professionally cleaned. This will not only make them look better, but will also remove unwanted odours, especially pet odours. If your carpets are dark you could try brightening them up with rugs, equally if they don't match your décor, rugs can tie a room together.

A lick of paint can go a long way. No one expects you to totally redecorate your property before it goes up for sale, but a touch up here and there is always a good idea. Paint over scuffs or your children's 'art work'.

The viewing.

When arranging appointments for people to view your property think about the timing. How busy will your road be? Will it still be light outside? If you have pets or children think about what you will do with them. You don't want the dog barking and baby crying whist talking to a potential purchaser. You could take them all out and let your Estate Agent show people around.

When it comes to the actual viewing think about how you are going to show people round. Firstly think about safety. Do you or your estate agents know the details of the people who are coming round? Make sure you know their names and your estate agent knows where they live. Try not to be on your own when doing the viewing, your Estate Agent should be available to show the people around, if not try and make sure someone else can be there with you. Don't show too many people around your house at the same time, you need to be in control of the viewing and that is not possible if you have different people in different rooms.

It is always better to show them the best rooms first and last, giving a good first impression and a great lasting impression. For example, if your very best room is your kitchen, leave that room until last. Take control of the viewing and take them upstairs first, if your bathroom is the best room upstairs show that first, then take them downstairs leaving the kitchen until last. Always let them walk into the room first, remember – the more people who are in the room the smaller it will feel.

Honesty is always the best policy.

When discussing the property, be honest. If there is a problem with your neighbours or your roof, or the tree outside, your potential purchaser will no doubt find out eventually. However, don't go out of your way to draw attention to any negatives. Try and keep conversation to a minimum, you'd be amazed at what will put some people off buying a property. If you are not confident in showing potential buyers round yourself, it is best to let your estate agent do it for you.

At the end of the viewing, always ask if there are any questions or if there is anything else they would like to see again. Never give them your telephone number, it may seem like a good idea at the time, but in the long run it's best for you to leave things to your Estate Agent – after all, that's what your paying them for.