Prep for a Quick Sale - Why Bother?

We recommend you make the effort simply because good presentation for sale is so often the difference between:

• The house that sits unsold until you're forced to reduce it's asking price.

And:

• That house that sells almost immediately for the full price.

It really is that simple!

Never forget that you're in competition against other houses for the attention of buyers.

Essentially selling a house is like trying to win a beauty contest.

If you want to win (i.e. achieve a quick sale) your house needs to present just as well as the competition and remain competitively priced.

And that's the bottom line:

A Competitive Price + Good Presentation = A QUICK SALE

Prep for a Quick Sale - Your Goal?

The old saying, "The customer is always right" is worth bearing in mind if you're chasing a quick sale.

The customers are your potential buyers and you'll guarantee yourself a quick sale, if you can present a vision of what they want out of a house.

That means you need to present a tidy, well-ordered house, filled with light, space & storage.

Prep for a Quick Sale - The 8-Step Plan

Presentation for a quick house sale is about removing any excuse for a buyer to chip your price.

If you follow and apply the 8 steps below, you'll dramatically reduce the chance of "leaving money on the table" when you sell.

Quick Sale Tip #1:

Clean your house from top to bottom, inside and out!

And then do your best to keep it clean and tidy until sold.

Cleaning costs nothing but if the carpets and curtains could do with a professional "deep clean", it's well worth the money.

Cleaning your house is possibly the biggest chore you'll face when selling, lots of people do it half-heartedly - all the better for you!

If your house stands head and shoulders above your competition, you'll be the first to sell.

Quick Sale Tip #2:

De-Clutter!

Get rid of the clutter and your house will look bigger. It will feel to buyers like a tidy, well-ordered place to live - Just what they want!

What's more, de-cluttering your house is a cathartic experience.

Not only is it an essential part of "presentation for a quick property sale" but it's also the best way to mentally prepare for your move.

The act of de-cluttering helps you to:

1. Start looking at your house as a commodity for sale (essential if you are to make sound, businesslike decisions).
2. Manage the emotional bond with your house that in extreme cases can cloud ones judgment and stop you from selling fast.
3. Focus on the new life you'll create when you move.

Unless experienced first hand, this emotional side of selling is easy to underestimate.

Don't be surprised if at first you find de-cluttering tough.

We would urge you to persevere because you'll be rewarded with more money in your pocket and less worry on your mind.

Throw away (or donate) as much as possible and then throw away some more.

After this, look again at your cupboards and other storage areas - Are they full to bursting?

If they are you need to consider thinning down your house further (possibly even consider renting a personal self-storage unit).

Ideally, cupboards and storage areas should not be more than 75% full.

Serious buyers will look inside your cupboards. If there isn't enough storage for you, they'll assume there isn't enough for them.

Don't scupper your chances of a quick sale and let buyers pass on your house because of this!

Quick Sale Tip #3:

Finish any DIY and catch-up on routine maintenance!

This is self-explanatory!

A well maintained house screams out that it's "well cared for" (a desirable attribute that buyers will pick-up on).

Buyers mentally reduce the price of your house every time they see a problem that needs fixing. So, for a quick sale, at the best price, bodged (or unfinished) DIY projects need to be made good (preferably by a professional).

Quick Sale Tip #4:

Realise that 1^st impressions count!

It's never too early to start making a good impression.

Your house may be stunning inside but if the outside doesn't look great you jeopardize your chances of that quick property sale.

Look at your property from the road? How does it compare to other houses in your street?

As you walk from the pavement to your front door, does every element of your property look cared for and well maintained?

Quick Sale Tip #5:

Depersonalise your house!

This is a very powerful selling tip and will definitely help you to sell your house quickly.

It's one of the secrets behind the effectiveness of house builder show homes.

Buyers will fall in love with your house when they can imagine themselves living there (when they can imagine your house as their own).

It can't be done with evidence of you or your family everywhere.

That's why show homes are always anonymous. You'll never see a family portrait or anything personal.

Here's what you do to make your house look lived-in without looking like anyone actually lives there - Pack away into storage:

• All family photos
• Holiday souvenirs
• Trophies & certificates
• Collectible items
• Children's artwork

Buyers do not want to buy your home - They want to buy your house and then make it their home!

Quick Sale Tip #6:

Go neutral!

This continues the idea of "depersonalising" your house. It's key to pulling-off a quick sale! Colour is a personal thing - one person's harmonious colour scheme is another's crime against humanity. Don't let differences in personal taste affect your sale. Take colour out of the equation all together. It's cheap to do, just paint your walls a neutral colour (something like "Timeless" from Dulux works well). Repainting boldly coloured or highly individualised interiors to something blander is the most cost-effective way to add value to your property! Rooms will immediately appear bigger and brighter (major selling points). You'll also create a blank canvas. This helps buyers to project positive visions of what their life could be like in the house - part of the process of "falling for" a property.

Quick Sale Tip #7:

Define the use of each room!

While living in a house the use of certain rooms can become blurred over time, for example:

• The lounge becomes part office.
• The spare bedroom becomes a storage room.
• The dinning room becomes the kids play area.

If this has happened in your house, think about converting these rooms back to their original use.

This makes sound financial sense and helps you sell for more because certain rooms hold a greater perceived value than others, for example:

• Buyers perceive bedrooms to be worth more than offices.
• Buyers perceive dinning rooms to be worth more than playrooms.

This is now also a good opportunity to make your house look bigger.

Remove all the furniture (and other items) that isn't essential to the function of the room. This will free up a lot of space.

This will free up a lot of valuable floor space.

If possible, it may be useful to visit a "show home" or two.

You'll see for yourself the minimum amount of furniture needed to define the use of a room and achieve a quick sale.

Aim for this because at the end of the day, space sells!

Quick Sale Tip #8:

Eliminate bad odours!

We won't go on about this but:

• Cooking
• Smoking
• Pets
• Damp
• Blocked drains

All produce odours that turn-off buyers - get rid of them!

Finally, don't forget to air your house often while it's on the market.

Prep for a Quick Sale - Conclusions

The 8 steps above make sure your house is saleable however, if you want to go further and get creative, you need to understand an important concept:

"Buyers are not looking to buy property! What they're really looking to buy is a better life (property just happens to be the way they'll get it)".

For the presentation of your house to really attract buyers (and the highest offers) you need to make buyers want what you've got - give them a glimpse of a better life and you'll guarantee a quick sale.