Peter Illingworth of Peter Illingworth Estate agents explains, far too often a potential sale is spoilt by a lack of consideration of the purchaser by the seller.
With the market getting tougher all the time, buyers are looking for perfection and in the main are not prepared to overlook untidiness, bodged jobs and poor repair.
Properties are bought in most cases by heart and mind. Let me provide you with an example of a property that I was assessing, to value for marketing. The front door was in poor decorative order and the lock was wobbly. On opening the front door, immediately I observed splattered paint all the way up the stair carpet leading to the first floor, with the walls and ceiling having just been painted and a paint splodge on the light switch, it looked a bodged job from the outset, automatically a feeling of disappointment and wondering what I might see next. The rest of the property was not in such bad order but paint splatters continued. This start to a viewing would not be a positive experience for a purchaser, which puts them on the alert from the beginning to look for problems. I advised the vendor of this and strongly suggested the carpets should be replaced, which was not going to happen. I explained this would make the property very challenging to sell and would result in a poorer price being achieved. This would inevitably waste potential buyers time, our time on viewings and the vendor more than likely blaming us for not getting a sale.
The same can be said with properties that have gardens. They need to be kept neat and tidy and weed free. The property should be presented for sale in a shipshape manner, clutter made to disappear, beds made, food put away from the last meal, work surfaces clean not left with crumbs all over, areas of expected hygiene such as the kitchen, bathroom and cloakroom should be especially clean and tidy. If sold in the winter background heating should be on to provide the feeling of warmth and homeliness.
At Peter Illingworth we would hope and expect our vendors to present their homes to the best of their ability, to give us the foundations to work with to enable us to provide a successful outcome of a sale at the best possible price.
If you are thinking of selling and would like advice on how to present your property for sale why not invite Peter Illingworth to a marketing proposal meeting call 01751 431107 or email peter@peterillingworth.co.uk In the meantime you may like to refer to our website and be presented with useful tips for selling which should guide you on your way to preparing your property for sale, click the following link: www.peterillingworth.co.uk/tips-for-selling/
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