Selling your home isn’t ever straightforward, and we’re not just talking about all the legal terms. Making your house presentable and attractive to potential buyers is probably the most important factor to consider as well as making the selling process as smooth as possible.
We can help you sell your property in more ways than one – yes, you can get it listed, and yes, we can bring the right people – but here’s 30 tips for making sure that your transaction goes through smoothly and that you impress your potential buyers.
Make sure that you have all the documents needed to sell your property. This will save time when you have found a buyer for your home, and make the transaction smooth and straightforward. Documents you will need include:
Just like with anything, first impressions matter. Having a clean front door and working doorbell will show buyers that the whole house has been kept clean and tidy. Get rid of any dust or sand first thing in the morning from your doorstep, and make sure you don’t have showings on a day when there are loud works going on outside.
The outside of your home is just as important, if not even more, than the inside of your house. It’s not just about keeping plants healthy and tidy but also having a bright and colourful garden will entice buyers to your property.
Have a clean driveway to make the walk up to your home look more inviting. Use a pressure washer to give your driveway a deep clean.
Having a new car on your freshly cleaned driveway can give the impression of a wealthy home which has been taken good care of. You don’t need to go out and buy a brand new car just to sell your home, you can always hire one for the days needed, or use a friend’s car.
You never know when someone might be on his or her way to see your property, which is why you should always keep it tidy while on the hunt for a buyer. This means making your beds every morning and making sure there isn’t any rubbish lying around the property.
There’s nothing buyers hate more than having the current owner their starting over their shoulders. Give them some space to look around your house on their own. You don’t really need to be there when your property is being shown, its probably best if you’re not as it will give the potential buyers a chance to discuss the property with the broker in confidence.
If you have children and pets, like a dog or cat, taking them out of the house when it is being shown is ideal, so they won’t get in the way.
A clutter free home is an inviting home. Make sure you clean away all the rubbish in your home and reduce the amount that is on show. This is also a good idea as it will allow potential buyers to imagine what their belongings will look like in the home or what they could do to make it more them.
Having natural light come into the property is a simple and cheap way of making your home look for attractive. Having clean windows and curtains will help let the light into your home.
Your bathrooms are one of the biggest selling points in a home. If you are thinking about redecorating parts of your home its ideal to start with the bathroom. This will probably be the room you will spend the most money.
You don’t have to drastically redecorate your whole house, adding a splash of paint to the walls can brightening your home up. Go with a neutral colour and leave it up to the potential buyers to decide what they want to do with it after. There’s no point redecorating your home when you’re not going to be living in it and someone else will completely change it after you’ve gone.
To make your home more appealing, fix any plumbing and electrical problems. No one will want to buy a home that has a lot of problems that they will need to fix.
A creaky floorboard or door can make a potential buyer think the house could be falling apart. These are simple things to fix, you just need to either change the floorboards or tighten a few screws in the door.
No one is going to want to buy your property if they can’t have a good look around first. Buying a house is a big commitment and one that people will take time and a lot of consideration into. Make yourself available
Using tradition theatre techniques to turn your home into a theatre set can help make your home look and feel more inviting. Walk around your property as if you were a viewer, and think about it afresh – what could you do to give your property the ‘wow’ factor when people walk around the corner.
Smell is one of the main senses that can improve someone’s mood and in turn will make buyers more interested. The smell of freshly baked bread and coffee are two smells that are very welcoming and homely. Also think about different cultures – different smells mean different things to different buyers. If you have visitors from the East, the smell of cinnamon buns can be quite evocative, but potentially less so to visitors from London.
If your home is looking a little bare, adding some colourful flowers can help to brighten up the house. They can also give a nice scent to the room. Think about your cultural considerations again – certain flowers mean different things to different cultures, and this is especially important with buyers from the Far East.
It’s easier for potential buyers to get a good idea of how they can make the property more them, if you take down any personal items, these include; family photos and any religious items. Sometimes when you take down photos and other decorations from the wall, you can be left with the outline. To solve this you can simply add a new coat of paint over the top.
Make it clear what each room of the house is, just like with theatre if the set isn’t clear it can confuse the audience, this is the same case with potential buyers. Clear away any items that are in the wrong place, such as kid’s toys in the kitchen or exercise equipment in the living room.
Warm toned colours, such as reds and yellows, are “advancing” colours, cooler toned colours, blues and greens, are “receding” colours. If you want a part of your house to stand out then adding a splash of red or yellow will draw the attention to that are. You could add a bowl of red apples or a yellow plant. If there is a corner of your house you don’t want people to focus on then add a green plant to draw attention away.
Again, think about your buyers. Greens are popular in the Middle East, and reds are considered lucky in Asia while Iranians see red as a colour of courage.
You want buyers to feel flattered in your home, which is why lighting is an important factor to consider. Soft, warm lighting is the most flattering, as it will make skin look healthy. The best places to put these lights would be by mirrors and other spaces people will catch sight of their reflections.
Adding more mirrors to walls will not only help make the room look bigger but, a decorative mirror, can make a room look more elegant and give it some character.
Buyers need to feel comfortable in your home; they’re not going to buy a home that they don’t feel comfortable in. You can make your home look more comfortable by opening some windows and letting light in and keeping the area spacious.
Make it easy for buyers to move around your home. It can become very frustrating if you are constantly bumping into furniture, buyers can leave straight away if they are getting frustrated with the home.
To make your wardrobes more appealing, remove some of the items. Not only could this prove time-saving when you do end up packing away your clothes, but it will also make your wardrobe space seem larger.
Leaving some of the larger items, like washing machines or fridges, can make a property more appealing. Some house hunters won’t be able to afford these larger items so including them with the house will give them an incentive to buy.
It doesn’t have to be large items, you could leave behind kitchen appliances, it will still be something the buyer will appreciate to get them on their feet when they move in.
Setting a reasonable price is the main selling point to any property. If your property is listed too high then you won’t get much interest yet if your house is listed too low then you won’t be making much money from it. Your broker will be able to help you decide on the best price, taking into account the current market and how much your house is worth.
Your description is what gets people in – but if you call your villa spacious when really, it’s quite small and ‘bijou’, then you’re going to let people down. Be clear about what you’re selling and you’ll find that you may get fewer calls about your property – but they’ll all be from people who would appreciate your property.
Selling a property in Dubai isn’t all about selling the property – you’re selling the lifestyle and you’re selling the view. This is hugely important to remember, wherever you are. Lakes, skyline, golf courses, whatever people want, Dubai has got it. Clean those windows, make sure you’ve left access to the balconies, open those curtains wide, and remember – it’s the view that might sell your property for you!
To sell your home in a timely fashion and getting the best deal you will need to find the best brokerage. Espace Real Estate was recently voted the Best Brokerage in Dubai 2015. It’s a great honour, but pays testament more than anything to the local insight and expertise of our agents.
As a truly customer-centric real estate agency, we offer a range of related services that are designed to make your property journey stress-free and successful from start to end.
