Through the 23 years of selling property in the Plymouth area, I have been asked to value thousands of properties. Each time I have stepped through the doorway, the owner has looked for my advice and opinion on how best we can take them through the process, regardless of the market conditions. When doing so I always consider that for the buyers, their decision on how much they would pay for the property can be as much emotionally driven as it is financial.
There will be a list of obvious factors that will effect the likely sale price such as the style, size, age and condition of the kitchen, bathrooms and décor. But there are certain things about a property, an underlying feel, location or potential it may offer that cannot be altered by the superficial changes.
I always advise sellers to spend time and occasionally a small amount of money on doing the ‘little’ things that can have a impact on the feel of the property. Giving your home a deep clean if its needed can really help, and the obvious de-cluttering will always make way for better floorspace and present better in the pictures. Tidying the garden if you have one, removing weeds and trimming the hedges can also make a big difference and get rid of any rubbish and old garden furniture you keep meaning to take to the tip.
Buyers gain confidence from visiting a home that has been well maintained and cared for. They get a strong sense of what attention has been paid to the property over the years, and this really can have a profound effect on how much they want to pay for it. They also look at the long term, and this is the emotional factor asking themselves questions such as ‘Can this house become our home?’, ‘What does it offer us in the long term?’ or ‘Will the property meet the changes we want within our personal lives?’. These are the emotionally driven factors.
The value of your home will always be determined by the buyer in any market, but if they connect to the property and can see it as their home, they are more likely to pay more. I always advise sellers to take a fresh look at their home if they are about to sell, try and see it through the eyes of the buyer and give them the all-important ‘first impression’.
If you are thinking of selling, I would be more than happy to visit your home and give you a free market appraisal and talk through the all your options, and how we can help you with your move.
We cover the Plymouth & South Hams area, so have excellent knowledge of the market selling property across all price ranges.