New Year New Home – Selling in the New Year

There is often speculation as to when is the best time to sell your home. Sellers often wait for certain times in the year that may be construed to be better than others. If you feel like you are ready to sell, you should seek a valuation and consider whether it is the right time for you, as it may well be right now.

The lead up to the general election caused mixed feelings about the housing market with many waiting to see whether policy changes (such as stamp duty reforms), will be put in place. However, if you are considering selling your home, now is a good time to put your property on the market. There will always be other circumstances that can affect the housing market, but none of that should prevent you from getting a full market appraisal. Property searches surge after Christmas so you wouldn't want to miss out.

House prices have continued to increase throughout these uncertain times so you may be surprised at how much your home is worth. But no matter what time of the year it is, there are a few checks that you can run through to ensure that your home is in its optimum condition. High spec homes are attracting the attention of serious buyers, so if your house is well presented and organised, it will help potential buyers believe in your home.

Photos

Photos, photos, and more photos! If there was one factor alone that could attract potential buyers to your home, this is it. It’s key to make a good first impression, so ensure that photos are of a high specification, in natural daylight and show the full room to its full potential. Check that your home is neat and tidy so that buyers can visualise living in the home themselves.

‘Tis the season!

Leading on from photos, we have Christmas. It might be tempting to make your home a festive feast for the eyes, but you should ensure that you have photos of your home without decorations up. This is so that those viewing can see how the space in the home could look throughout the year.

Declutter

It should go without saying, but your home needs to be clean and tidy when on the market, both inside and out; you never know when a potential buyer may be driving past the home unexpectedly! Keep leaves swept off the garden and ensure that doorbells and outside lights are working, which will show that the home has been well maintained. Inside, you want to prove that there is ample storage space, so anything that is left out on tables, sides or shelves should be there for a reason. That way potential buyers can see that there is plenty of storage to maintain a tidy home.

Paperwork

Remember all that important paperwork that you keep in that ‘safe place’? Now’s the time to dig it out! Important paperwork relating to deed titles and guarantee certificates for any work you have had done are essential during the selling process; collate any paperwork that you have for the home into a folder so that you can show prospective buyers that everything is in order.