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Attracting Buyers

Presenting your home in the best possible light.

It's a fact that a few small cosmetic improvements can have a big impact on the way buyers react to your home. First impressions really do count. According to research, potential buyers will form an opinion about your home in the first 15 seconds - so it's important to ensure that it's a favourable one.

A little effort can make all the difference in terms of attracting buyers - particularly in a very competitive market, or if you need to sell quickly.

Of course, there's no substitute for regular maintenance. Refurbishing a lived-in home can be very expensive! By the same token, avoid anything too big and costly - otherwise you will almost certainly lose money. If your home needs any major works carried out, it is sometimes advisable to reflect the asking price of the property accordingly and sell your home to a buyer who is willing to carry out the work rather than pay for the work and you still may not get the price you need to cover the cost of the works.

Little things can make a big difference in creating the right impression, for example:

• Your front garden is the first thing people will see - so make sure it's clean, tidy and clear of rubbish. The back garden too should also look neat and well cared-for.
• As for the outside of the house itself, a lick of fresh paint - particularly to the window frames and the front door - costs next to nothing but does more to create that all-important good impression.
• The inside basically needs to be clean, neat and tidy. Paintwork should be free of cracks or stains. Carpets, floor coverings, curtains and soft furnishings should be clean and in good condition.
• Pay special attention to kitchen and bathroom areas, to ensure that they are sparkling clean and fresh smelling.
• In the case of pets, take particular care to clean up their sleeping areas, and make sure you eliminate any strong smells.
• Just to be on the safe side, remove all small valuable items from view.

If like most of us you have a busy lifestyle and limited time then the best advice is to de-clutter and de-personalise your property ensuring that it is as clean and tidy as possible, however most discerning buyers are there to look at the bricks and mortar and in most cases will look past an untidy or a lived in property if it ticks all the right boxes.

At Selbon we truly believe that the right house, marketed by the right agent, at the right price will sell no matter what but the above will most certainly help!