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Thu 07 Mar 2019 View all news articles
According to a 2018 report analysing property sales in 20 of the UK’s biggest cities, selling your home takes an average of 102 days.
If you want to sell your home within three months, it’s important that you avoid a few key pitfalls. Here, we look at seven common mistakes that homeowners make when selling their home – so keep reading for all the advice you need on what not to do when you sell your home.
Setting the price too high
One of the most common mistakes that sellers make is to overprice their home when listing it for sale. Homes that are priced correctly tend to sell, while those that are too expensive tend to stay on the market.
Ask several estate agents to value your home but be careful not to simply pick the highest valuation. Agents sometimes overprice property in order to win the business, but there’s no point listing your home at a price that won’t attract a buyer.
Brian Murphy, head of lending at Mortgage Advice Bureau, says: "Serious sellers who want to secure a buyer within a reasonable amount of time may need to perhaps consider a less ambitious asking price.”
Hiring the wrong agent to sell your home
Did you choose the cheapest agent, or the one most likely to sell your home?
Selling your home isn’t about finding the very lowest rate of estate agent commission but finding the agent that will secure you a sale.
Find someone with strong local knowledge, a track record of selling properties in your area, and someone with a database of prospects looking to buy a property like yours.
Not tidying and cleaning your home
It may seem obvious but giving your home a good clean and tidying up clutter can help you to make a good impression on a potential buyer.
Cory Askew, area director at Chestertons, says a spring clean, inside and out, can help with the overall presentation of a home for visitors. He says: “A deep clean on the entire property can make a big difference for quite a small cost.”
Accepting bad photos
Photos will often be the first impression that buyers have of your home. So, it makes sense to ensure that photographs show your property in the best light.
A professional photographer or your estate agent will normally take the photos, but don’t settle for poor images. The photos should be well lit, show off most of the room, and be free of clutter and mess.
If you’re not happy with the photos, ask for them to be re-taken.
Not making easy repairs
Your aim is to give a potential buyer a good first impression. So, making sure that simple repairs are made can help to show off your home in the best light.
Neglected repairs raise questions for a buyer as they will be thinking about the cost and hassle of dealing with these. If they see minor problems, it may also cause them to wonder what bigger issues they might face when they move in.
Easy repairs to make include:
As leading Wirral estate agents and lettings agents we have plenty to talk about and like to give our opinions on a few things too! Read about what we have to say, our latest news and industry news.