House Selling Tips

Often, making a few small changes can significantly enhance the appeal of your property to buyers and, perhaps, increase the final selling price.

Our Estate Agency Manager, Stuart Bruce, has many years of experience in property-related matters. He has worked from the firm’s Elgin office for over 15 years. He worked alongside our former Estate Agency Manager, Eileen Hutcheon, for several months prior to her retirement at the end of 2017.

Here are a few house selling tips.

First impressions

Stand outside your home and imagine that you are seeing it for the first time.

You will have one chance to make that vital first impression.

It may well be worth considering a fresh coat of paint to the front door and it is best to try to weed the garden and cut the grass regularly.

Presentation

It is often best to depersonalise and declutter your property when offering it for sale.

These are just a few suggestions on how to achieve the best impression –

• Clearly define each room (If a room is described as a bedroom, then it is important that there is at least a single bed in it (!)).

• Make any small repairs that are required (for example, faulty front door bell, loose door handles).

• Generally clean the property throughout –  it is often better to remove any trace of pets before any viewings.

• Table lamps and “living flame” gas fires should be switched on to create a warm, welcoming atmosphere, particularly if viewings are taking place over the winter.

• Keep curtains and blinds open as much as possible to let light in and give your property a bright, airy feel.

Be prepared

The timescale between you receiving an offer and moving out can be relatively short.

Put the paperwork for your house together to minimise the risk of delay.

• Check where your title deeds are held.

• If you have had timber treatment work or the like carried out, make sure that you have the Guarantee, estimate report and receipt for payment.

• If you have altered your house, check the whereabouts of the permissions for this. If you did not obtain permissions, double check with the Local Authority (or on their website) whether this will cause a problem.

• Do you have a septic tank? If so, do you know whether it has been registered with SEPA?

• Do you have a non-mains water supply? A water test report is obtained – so make sure that replacement of any filters is not overdue.

How we can help

If you are considering putting your house on the market for sale and have any specific questions about how best to present it to viewers, please do not hesitate to contact us for advice.

All initial enquiries are free of charge and without obligation.

You can contact our property team on 01343 544077 or by completing a Free Online Enquiry.