The most common mistakes putting people off buying your home
Since my last Telegraph column, I have had an influx of enquiries from you asking for advice on why your property isn’t selling.
I am sorry I can’t reply to every one of you, I wish I could. But I do understand your frustration. There are few things more exasperating than preparing yourself financially and emotionally for a house move only to become stuck because of a lack of interest in the property. Especially if you have found somewhere to move to and need a sale.
This may not be your fault. Market uncertainty, the time of the year and interest rates – to name just a few – can all influence buyer sentiment making it harder to sell a home.
However, in my experience, there are some common mistakes people make that could be hindering your house sale, and are worth looking at.
Getting the price right
This may sound obvious, but have you priced the property correctly? In the current climate, with higher mortgage interest rates and an ongoing cost of living crisis, price becomes paramount. Buyers simply don’t have the ability to push their finances a bit further, no matter how much they may love a property.
In order to get as many viewers through the door as possible, the property needs to be priced right. Invariably, there is a careful line to be walked here. You don’t want to overprice it and scare off potential buyers, but no one wants to feel as though they didn’t get their money’s worth – particularly if you are selling to move up the ladder.
Your best bet is to get a feel for the pricing in your area. Take a look online at what houses similar to yours in the area are listed for. Even better, Rightmove lets you see what properties have previously sold for, so you can get an accurate picture of where the market actually is.
Another good idea is to consider any features your home may have that could affect the price either way. Is it a semi-detached on a road of terraced housing? This would make it worth a bit more.
Pricing your property is, I am sorry to say, an art not a science. But if it has been listed for a while, I would suggest having a serious think about whether you can knock something off the asking price.
This can be a wrench, it is your home where you have made memories and maybe even brought up your children, that all means something. However, you need to be as objective as possible if you’re going to get a deal over the line, so try and think about what it is worth, not just its value to you.
Hiring the ‘best’ estate agent
This brings me neatly to my next question, have you got the right estate agent? While you cannot be expected to be wholly dispassionate about your home, a good agent should be.
People often confuse a big name agent, with a fancy office etc, for one who’s good at selling your particular house. There is little point getting the best-known estate agent in your area if they are mainly experienced in selling three-bed semis and you’re selling a six-bedroom house on acres of land.
Speak to your neighbours with similar homes and see if they can give you a few names – for instance, who did they buy from?
It may sound drastic, but don’t be afraid to tell an estate agent it isn’t working and bring in someone new. There may be an exclusivity period on the listing of up to 12 weeks. However, I wouldn’t think about changing anything for at least that amount of time after you list the property, so it shouldn’t be an issue if you end up wanting to change agents.
If your property has been on the market for more than 10 months and you’re concerned your agent is asleep on the job, you could set up a friend as a mystery shopper to ask to view your property and report back on their experience.
I’ve suggested this before as it’s a good way to find out if your agent is still engaged about finding you a buyer, or whether they have let the listing languish down the bottom of a property portal.
Are the photographs good enough?
While the asking price of the property or issues with your agent are likely to be playing a part if you’re struggling to sell a property, there are other elements that could be putting buyers off.
Time and time again, I see sellers getting the basics wrong, and one of the most common mistakes is the photos. The likelihood is that the first place a potential buyer will see your home is on a property portal, so you want to pique their interest straightaway.
The best way to do this is to make sure you have plenty of high-quality photos. Buyers are annoyed if there aren’t enough pictures, so I recommend a minimum of 10.
That being said, there’s no need to include photos of absolutely everything, or even every room. There’s nothing wrong with leaving a gap for a bit of intrigue, hoping people will react by thinking “that house looks interesting, I’d like to see more”.
This is far better than people being put off booking a viewing because they have been allowed to see “too much” and have decided the staircase looked cramped, or something silly like that.
I also think there is value in adding a video. Any good smartphone is high enough quality to film a 360-degree tour of the house that will help your listing stand out from others. It’s worth asking your agent if they can help with this.
However, good quality photos won’t be worth much if the house isn’t well presented. First impressions are absolutely vital, and you have to make it count. It’s a bit like a first date – you’d want to look your best and it’s no different for your house.
Viewers have to be able to envision themselves living there. This doesn’t mean interiors and furnishings – most will want to put their own stamp on the home – but they’ll want to see that the fundamentals are right.
So, if your property isn’t attracting the attention you want, take a look at the images and ask yourself whether they really put the house in the best light.
You may have cleaned thoroughly before the photographer came round, but did you declutter? This doesn’t mean removing personality, I think it helps for buyers to see that a home was loved and lived in. But clutter is a definite no.
Be clever with your lighting, a well lit room can make a huge difference to the overall impression of a house.
Remember to make the most of any stand-out or unique features. For example, does your property have original Victorian fireplaces or bay windows? Make sure you are showing them off as they are the sort of details that can entice a buyer to come round for a viewing.
Slightly less permanent fixtures, such as a fresh vase of flowers, never hurt either.
Once you have made these changes, and maybe even put a fresh lick of paint on the walls, hire a photographer and update your listing.
Could you be putting people off when they visit?
If you are managing to get in-person viewings, you’ll need to make sure your home looks as spot-on as the pictures – or, ideally, even better.
From arriving at the house, walking up to the door and moving into the entrance hallway, think about how you could make the viewer’s experience as pleasant as possible. It doesn’t matter how lovely the inside of your house is, or how much money you have invested inside it – you have to encourage people to step through the door in order to enjoy seeing it all.
Once they’re in, there’s really no hiding. Deep clean the home so it looks and feels fresh – most buyers decide whether or not to make an offer after only spending around 10 minutes in the property. You need to make that time count, and making sure your home is sparkling clean is the first step to impressing potential buyers.
Get the carpets professionally cleaned if necessary, and always clean the windows. Kitchen and bathroom fittings will need to gleam with cleanliness – it makes a real difference.
While you’re cleaning, be mindful of any potential odours – such as from pets, teenagers or tobacco. These are a real turn-off to viewers.
Finally, don’t forget the garden. Tidy, dress, prepare and position plant pots, and add colour where you can. Think of it as an additional room, as it can be just as valuable.
None of this, I am afraid, is rocket science. But getting the basics right really matters. After all, you’ll want to make sure the price you get is what your home is really worth.
Good luck!