Quick Guide to
Guide
t
selling
Selling your
yourHouse
home
1
Declutter & Clean
A common reason people are looking to move house is due to lack of space
in their current house. They have outgrown their current living conditions so
the last thing they want to see when they come to view your house is a
space that is cluttered and running out of room.
It can be difficult to view your
house impartially, when you
look in each room you see the
memories behind everything.
Unfortunately this is not going to
help you sell your house and
get the best price possible for it.
You need to constantly put
yourself in the place of the
buyer, what do they want to
see.
Start going through your house and decide what you are going to take with
you to your new house. Anything that doesn’t make the cut can be gotten rid
of now. If you don’t want to see it in your new house chances are buyers are
not going to want to see it either. You will be surprised how spacious your
home can look once your start clearing out.
One thing to note when potential buyers are viewing your home they will
open presses. Make sure everything is in order, have everything organised
and not overflowing. Show the potential of the storage space.
2
Repair and Decorate
When it comes time to sell your home you may need to decide what changes
will help sell your home quickly and increase the sale price and what changes
are a waste of time and money.
When deciding on what work to do to your house you should look at the current
market you are selling in. How quickly have similar properties been selling in
your area. Are people getting the asking price for them? Is there a lot of interest
at viewings? If so then minimal repairs should be enough for you to sell your
house.
However if the market is slow then more work may need to be carried out to
entice buyers. When there’s a lot of choice available to the buyer they can
afford to be selective about what they’re looking for and what they are willing to
pay.
Where possible you should research houses for sale in your area. Look at
photos they have posted online or if possible attend open houses. Compare
your house to theirs, are they offering more for the same price you are asking
for? Is their house more up to date and in better condition? Take note of the
areas that you should focus on improving in your own home. Remember the
point of looking at other homes is to get an idea of what is on offer and how
you compare, it is not for you to turn your house into the same as everybody
else's.
A way to decide on what changes you should make is by working out the cost
of making repairs and updating your house. Then evaluate how much you
would need to reduce the selling price of your house by if you don’t make the
changes. If you sold it as a fixer upper, how long would it take to sell. Assess
both options and decide which is the best for you to decide if it’s worth making
the changes.
No matter what you decide a fresh coat of paint throughout the house can be a
quick and easy way to make positive changes. A neutral pallet can help buyers
see the full potential of the house. It can open up the space giving the illusion
of more room and increase the attractiveness of your house.
3
Kerb appeal
First impressions are incredibly important, especially when it comes to
selling your house. Many people spend so much time preparing the
inside of their house, they forget to clean the outside too. The idea
behind creating kerb appeal is to give your house an inviting look that
makes the potential buyer want to stop and see the inside of your house.
Spending some time focusing on kerb appeal can really help you attract
more buyers—and sell your house faster.
People make snap judgements everyday just from looking at something.
This is no different when it comes to viewing a house. The first thing
people see is the outside of a house so this is where they will make a
snap decision on whether they like your home or not. If they do not get a
positive feel from the start it’s going to be a struggle to change this
opinion no matter how great the interior of your home is.
When preparing your home you need to think like the potential buyer.
Ignore the emotional attachment you have to the house and objectively
look at what needs to be done to improve the potential of your house.
Look at both the positives and the negatives. Consider what you are
looking for in your new home, would your current house appeal to you in
its current state?
There is no need to spend a fortune updating the outside of your house.
In most cases some simple tidying and repairing will greatly improve the
exterior of your home.
4
When to sell
Trying to decide when is the best time to sell your home can be stressful.
Your decision to sell your home is often based on your changing lifestyle,
like a growing family, new job or downsizing. You may find that your
need to sell your home does not coincide with the best property market
conditions, but it is worth noting that if property prices are low you may
not receive the asking price you were hoping for on your house. But in
turn the price you expect to pay for your new home can be less.
Its not possible to predict when is the perfect time to sell your home if it
was we would all be in the property market making money. You need to
evaluate when is the best time to suit your needs.
When you speak with estate agents they often suggest some seasons
being more popular that others to sell in.
5
Best time of year to sell
Spring is often cited as the best time of year to sell. The weather is
improving and people’s homes are starting to look better with gardens
coming into bloom. People have gotten through the distraction of Christmas
and the summer holidays are still months away.
Summer - it has been suggested that during the summer people are not
looking to move. They are out enjoying the good weather, gone on holidays
or busy with children or family life as much.
Autumn can be a good time to sell. The exterior of peoples homes are still
looking well and the weather can be ideal during this time. People have
more time to move house and would hope to be in for Christmas. There are
no big holidays in Autumn to distract them.
Winter - during the winter your home does not look its best and the kerb
appeal is low. You’re relying on potential buyers to visualise how it can
look. Many people start getting prepared for the Christmas season so don’t
want the added stress of moving house.
However the reality is when you look at any time of year you can come up
with a list advantages and disadvantages of selling your home. If everyone
followed the above suggestions of when to sell your home there would be
an overcrowding of houses in the market during one particular season and
not many would see the benefits. You need to assess your own situation,
look at your needs and wants for buying and selling a house and pick a
time to sell that suits your situation.
6
Nesta Storage Vouchers
7
4-5 Burton Hall Road, Sandyford, Dublin 18 • (01) 2907800
Old Airport Road, Swords Road, Dublin 9 • (01) 8468900
Kylemore Road, Dublin 10 • (01) 6426100
Deansgrange Business Park, Deansgrange, Co Dublin • (01) 2190214
Nesta.ie
1850 77 22 34
8