What should I ask my estate agent when selling my home?

dig-website-sell-new

It’s your agent’s job to ‘pull out the stops’ and do everything they can to sell your home as quickly as possible.  Why wouldn’t they?  After all, it’s in the agent’s interest as well as your own.  You are both in this together and communication is very important on both parts.  If you are unhappy about any part of the ‘selling process’, it’s always best to be honest and chat to your agent.  They are there to help you.

Here is a list of questions we have compiled for you, which may be particularly relevant if your house has been on the market for some time.

  1. What are you doing to sell my home?  A good agent will be happy to discuss this with you.  They should be working proactively, for example, sending out your house details to any potential buyers, and should be able to tell you who they have contacted.  Sometimes it’s possible for an agent to sell a house immediately by matching a home with a known buyer.
  1. Have any comparable properties sold recently? If so, why didn’t they view yours?  Find out if there is anything you or your agent can do to improve viewing figures.  Agents won’t necessarily disclose the sale price (this is not professional and undermines the privacy of the vendors), but they may be able to give you an idea of whether any price reduction was involved
  1. What does my Rightmove Performance Analysis show? Pretty much every agent in the country will advertise your property on Rightmove, and as part of the package, the agent can print off your ‘click’ rate figures.  This shows how many people have viewed your initial advert and how many have then clicked for ‘more details’.  You might be surprised by the results.  A good agent will go through this with you and suggest possible plans of action.
  1. Can you change my main image? The main image is the first thing people see when searching for a house, and it needs to be attractive and eye-catching.  A mediocre photo could be the reason for a low viewing rate.  Ask your agent to revisit your home on a sunny day and take a new front shot.  Sometimes it’s worth changing it just to test it out.  Do your viewing numbers go up?

kitchen

 

  1. Can we improve the marketing? Is there anything either you or your agent can do to speed up the sale?  Perhaps the brochure needs tweaking, or maybe the wording of the online advert needs adjusting.  Either way, it’s worth making a few changes to see what happens.
  1. Why hasn’t my house sold? Build a good relationship with your estate agent and make sure they know that you appreciate honesty.  They should be able to give you some possible reasons or indications why your house has not sold.  Don’t immediately think that you need to reduce the asking price… it’s worth exploring other avenues before you lower the price.
  1. What is our viewer’s feedback? It’s useful to get an idea of any feedback from previous viewers, just to keep you in the picture and give you an idea of their opinion of your house.  It’s not always easy to hear, and it’s worth keeping it in perspective.  Remember that every buyer has different taste and requirements.  Some feedback may be useful, for example, if viewers were noticing a smell of dogs, you could have your carpets cleaned and use air fresheners.  Some feedback, however, cannot be acted upon, for example, the garden is too small.

We hope this list has given you some food for thought.  In our experience, we believe that everything is worth a try, and we will always be totally honest with our advice.

A good relationship between agent and client is paramount when selling (and buying) property.

What are your thoughts on this article?  We would love to hear from you.

Send us an email at hello@digs-property.co.uk  or give us a call on 01326 218427.

 

 

Posted on by Digs Property

11 1/2 reasons why your property isn’t selling

Greenwood-10032-HDR copy

There is nothing more frustrating than having your house on the market, with viewers coming and going, and yet receiving no offers.  Every time you get that call from your agent, you spend hours tidying and preparing it for inspection, only to be disappointed again.

We have put together a compilation of the top reasons that your house may be hanging around on the market longer than you want…

  1. Photographs

Don’t underestimate the impact of professional photographs.  This is the first impression that buyers will get of your home, so presenting it in the best possible light will help you get the right buyers through the door.

  1. Marketing

Is your property being marketed to its best potential?  Photographs, videos, floor plans, Rightmove advert, other online adverts – all of them will need to be undertaken if you want a quick sale at the best price.

  1. Overpriced

Try not to be greedy.  Your property will only sell for what it’s worth.  Advertising your property at an unrealistic price can seriously reduce your chances of a sale.  Consider all the valuations, take advice from your estate agent and price your property at the right level.

  1. Unfinished DIY jobs

There is nothing more off-putting for a potential buyer than noticing half done DIY jobs, such as leaking taps, chipped paintwork, lifted carpet etc.  Your buyers will notice this and it could cost you a sale.  Put some love back into your home.

  1. Empty nests

Don’t leave your children’s bedrooms as they were when they flew the nest.  Clear away, declutter and redesign.  Go for a clean, fresh look.  Think ‘hotel bedroom’ and you won’t go far wrong.

  1. Soft furnishings

Cushions that have seen better days, filthy rugs, worn linen, stained towels – these are all big ‘no no’s.’  You’re going to need soft furnishings for your new home so buy new things to display and throw the old away.

  1. Pets

As much as you love your furry friends, the smells and bedding can be very off putting for potential buyers.  Take pets out of the house during viewings and make sure you clear up litter trays, poop and dirty bowls.

  1. Bad smells

Any weird smells such as damp, mould, wet dog, or litter trays will all be noticed by your viewers – it is worth spending a bit of time cleaning the carpets and wiping down the walls.   Light scented candles and diffusers to freshen the room and make your home a scented haven.

  1. Too personal 

It’s very important to try and depersonalise your home so that buyers can visualise their own furniture, belongings and pictures in the property.  Declutter!  Put away your photographs, gnome collection, and eclectic ‘over the top’ bits and bobs – think neutral and fresh.

 10. Kerb appeal

The power of ‘kerb appeal is real’; the front of your house is the first thing any viewer will see.  Driveways, lawns, borders, gutters and fences all need to be in ‘tip top’ condition.  If the exterior areas look shabby, the viewer has already made a judgement before they have even walked through the front door.

  1. Being overbearing

When viewers wander around a house, they like to have space to peruse at their own pace, and explore the layout.  If you are conducting the viewing yourself, try not to fuss and talk too much; busy yourself elsewhere, but be available for any questions, should they have them.  An estate agent is not as emotionally attached to the property, which will help the viewers to feel more relaxed.

11 ½.   Timing 

This is ‘half’ a reason because often we are sometimes forced to put our house on the market at an inconvenient time.  If you can help it, however, try to avoid marketing your house during periods such as school summer holidays or Christmas, when viewing houses is the last thing on anyone’s mind.

If you follow these simple suggestions, you will not only improve your house for yourself, but also for your viewers.  Win – win!

If you have any questions about this article, or any other property matter, we would love to hear from you.  Give us a call on 01326 218427 or email us at hello@digs-property.co.uk 

Posted on by Digs Property