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Selling Your House? 5 Things to Never Say to an Estate Agent

October 17th, 2023 Posted in family finance, Property Investment
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There are a few things you should never say to an estate agent when trying to sell your home. Not because they are unprofessional but for the opposite reason. They have a duty to your sale, but also to your instruction. So, you always need to be pretty careful about any comments.

Selling Your House? 5 Things to Never Say to an Estate Agent - image of man holding a model house

Photo by Kindel Media:

Never Say You Won’t Settle

You should not settle on an offer you believe is unfair, but it isn’t wise to say you will never settle with your estate agent. This can instruct them to leave your home on the market with parameters that don’t work for you. And this can end up costing more time and money. After your house valuation, you need a price that fairly reflects your property, yet one that also helps a buyer decide. And in a buyer’s market, you may have to take a hit on some offers on your home.

Never Say You’re Not Interested in Low Offers

In a similar way to the point above, it isn’t wise to tell your agent you won’t accept low offers. It can take a while to sell your home, and the expectations of buyers and what they are willing to offer can vary based on supply and demand. What you consider a low offer after a while can, in fact, be a good one. Yet it can seem low compared to your home’s assessment from a few months before. It may come to the point where you have to accept an offer before it’s too low.

Never Say to an Estate Agent, “Don’t Show My Home.”

One of the most effective ways to sell your home is to allow potential buyers to see it. Of course, this means opening up your home to strangers. But estate agents are professionals at doing this and know what they are doing. Yet if you don’t allow them to show people around the home they are interested in buying, the average time to sell, between 4 and 6 months, will probably take much longer. The fact is that people like to see (and get a feel for) a home they are buying.

Never Say You Can Take Your Time

Supply and demand are mentioned above, and you need to understand the basics of this when it comes to home sales. The longer something is on sale, like a home, the bigger the chance of supply outstripping demand. When this happens, your home will become less valuable, and therefore, you have a lower chance of getting your asking price. If you tell an estate agent you have time, then they will place less priority on your home sale and reduce the possible value.

Never Disclose Personal Reasons for a Sale

Selling your home can be a game of give and take, and negotiation is part of that game. But if you inform your agent about personal reasons for selling the property, especially if time is a factor, they are legally obliged to disclose this if asked. But you aren’t. If a potential buyer knows you are in a desperate situation, they can use it against you to try to take advantage by offering a price well under what you are asking. And this can force you to accept an unfair property offer.

Summary

There are some things to never say to an estate agent, such as that you won’t settle. You should also never instruct them not to show your home because buyers are more likely to make an offer if they can see it. And never disclose personal reasons that can be taken advantage of.

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Save Money When Selling Your Home

May 12th, 2021 Posted in Property Investment
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Most people, when selling their homes, are so focused on the money they are (hopefully) about to make, that they spend very little time thinking about all of the costs associated with doing so, and how they may be able to save a little money there.

Selling a house can be an expensive business, but if you’re sensible, you can make some serious savings.

Choose your estate agent wisely

Probably, the biggest way to save money when you are selling your home is to choose a great estate agent like Jordan & Halstead, for example, who are very affordable in your local area, as well as being good at their jobs, so that they can maximize the price you get for your home. 

That’s why you should take your time to check out local estate agents before making a choice, instead of just going with the first one you find. A lot of estate agents will tell you exactly what you want to hear and promise you things that just aren’t possible, all while charging a premium, If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is; find the sweet spot where price and reputation meet and stick with that.

How to save money selling your home image white and brown concrete bungalow under clear blue sky
Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

Don’t do too much work

Many homeowners will try to maximise the return on their homes by renovating them before selling. Sometimes, this can work well because things like a new kitchen can add value to your home, but the thing is, this doesn’t always work, and unless you know what you are doing and have totally studied the local market, you probably shouldn’t make more than a few cosmetic changes and necessary DIY jobs. If you do what to carry out a bigger renovation, research how much value it is likely to add to your home, and if that figure is less than the cost, don’t get the work done.

Keep your emotions in check

So many homeowners have settled for a lower price simply because their emotions have gotten the better of them and they haven’t wanted to sell to a particular buyer, perhaps because they feel like they won’t look after the home or that the home is not right for them, and although this is totally understandable, it is not very sensible. If you get a good offer, not taking it is only going to cost you money in terms of the extra time and effort that will have to go into finding another buyer, not to mention the fact there’s no guarantee you will get a similarly large offer next time. Selling your home is a financial transaction and the more you can remind yourself of that the better.

Saving money when selling your home can be difficult because there are many costs that cannot be avoided, but it is, as you can see, still possible to cut costs and maximise your returns here and there. Stay calm, look fairly at the finances and don’t be too rash during the process and there’s every chance you’ll save.

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Staying Safe When Selling Your Home

September 26th, 2020 Posted in Money Tips, Property Investment
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With the way the pandemic is going, it seems we’re going to be indoors for a while. Even though going out is not as much of a taboo as when it first started, it’s still important to take the safety precautions very seriously. But not only do you have to stay safe when you’re outdoors. You also have to make sure you’re exercising some level of caution when you’re inside, especially if you’ve been out. It is also important when you are inviting people into your home, whether you’re close to them or not. 

If you’re looking to sell your home and need professionals to evaluate the building, make sure they are adhering to safety precautions as well. Mansell McTaggart in Sussex, for example, is dedicated to reducing the spread of the disease and have outlined their specific procedures involved in accessing their services. The attached infographic has all the details, and it is a relief to know that some people are still taking the situation seriously. It will also be better if your home is safe for the next occupants as that way, they will be more at ease with making the purchase.

Selling your home doesn’t have to be more challenging than it can already be especially in these times. The statistics on the effects on the pandemic make it pretty clear that you cannot compromise on safety right now. So in whatever you do, think about how you can make it a little safer for everyone involved.


Infographic Design By Mansell McTaggart Sussex
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Steps To Take Before Selling Your Home

February 29th, 2020 Posted in Money Tips, Property Investment
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Whether you’re keen to move around the corner, or you’re thinking of upping sticks and relocating to a different city, county or country, it’s wise to plan ahead if you’re selling your home. Unless you find yourself in a situation where you need to sell unexpectedly, it’s worth taking a few steps before the for sale sign goes up. 

Steps To Take Before Selling Your Home - property investing real estate family home image
Bildet er tatt av Paul Brennan fra Pixabay

Sprucing up your property

If you’re preparing to put your house on the market, it’s natural to want to get the best price. Before you invite agents around, or start taking photographs for galleries and brochures, take a tour of the property, note down any jobs that need doing and give your home a spruce. Simple things like freshening up the paintwork, fixing broken doors and cleaning the windows can make a huge difference. It’s also a great idea to clean and tidy up and to declutter.

Many people will judge properties based on aesthetics and the images they see when they look online. It’s also important to note that your home will attract attention when there’s a for sale sign up outside, so enhancing curb appeal is a good idea. Paint the front door, add plants or a hanging basket to make the property more welcoming and tidy up the driveway and front garden.

Choosing an agent and exploring selling options

When it comes to selling your home, there are several crucial decisions to make, including how you’re going to sell the property and which agent you’re going to choose to market your home. Most people sell through estate agents that manage viewings and the negotiation of offers, usually over a period of time, but auctions are becoming more popular. If you’re keen to sell quickly, or you want to maximise your chances of getting a good price and wrapping up the transaction without any ups and downs and unexpected turns, you might be interested in considering an agents property auction. Some agents deal with auction properties, as well as traditional sales. If you are thinking of selling your home at auction, it’s important to think carefully about setting a reserve. Whichever method you choose, it’s worth doing some research into house prices in your local area and asking a series of agents to provide you with a valuation. The valuation will not dictate how much you get for your home. You might find that there’s a significant difference between the valuation and the offer price, especially if the supply of houses outweighs the demand in your neighbourhood. 

Putting future plans into place

If you’re looking to sell, it’s wise to think about and plan your next move. Selling houses can take months, even years, but in some cases, the entire process can be completed in 6-8 weeks. If you’re thinking about buying property, figure out a budget and start searching for houses that match your criteria. If you’re toying with the idea of renting, contact local agents, arrange some viewings and create a short-list. 

Before you put a for sale sign up outside your home, take these steps. Hopefully, they will lead to a quick, seamless, stress-free sale. 

http://credit-n.ru/offers-zaim/ekapusta-besplatniy-zaim.html
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Give Your Home The Visiblity it Deserves When Trying To Sell

February 7th, 2017 Posted in Money Tips, Property Investment
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As your house is one of the most financially important assets in your life, it also presents the opportunity for one of the best investments you’ll ever get. However, getting a return on that investment will depend on getting the best deal you can. To get that deal, you want more people interested in buying the home. Having a house that sells well means having a marketable house. However, it also means marketing it properly. So, here we’re going to look at how you use different marketing methods to the most effective degree.

selling your home - for sale image

Diana Parkhouse

Signage

You might not think it, but putting the for sale outside a home is tremendously effective if you have a home in a good area or with particularly strong curb appeal. Rarely should you skip putting up a sign, but if you belong to a homeowners association, you should check with them first. Some won’t allow you to put up any signage.

selling your home - nice house image

Allan Ferguson

Listings

The most common way of marketing the house is to get it up on a variety of listings, both online and in the real world. We will look into the details of what you should put on those listings. But just as important is making sure you’re using all the right listings you can access. One of the benefits of teaming up with a realtor is ensuring you give your house some advertising space in places you might not have otherwise thought off.

selling your home - pile of newspapers image

Jon S

Details

On those listings and on any other adverts, you should think more about how much detail you include about the home. The rooms, space and features like gardens are obvious. But you should also think about details that appeal to specific markets, including investors. Families, landlords and investors alike see potential in what is in the surrounding area, for instance. Spend some time finding out the most attractive details not only of the house but the area around it, too.

selling your home - classic camera image

SplitShire

Photography

When it comes to photography, you need to make sure the room is ready. Don’t just declutter, but try and depersonalize the home somewhat so that your personal tastes aren’t getting in the way of showing off the dimensions and qualities of the rooms. Make sure you photograph with the best possible light and a quality camera, too. Fuzzy and undetailed pictures do not make a home look attractive.

selling your home - declutter image

rob_alltimemedia

Tours

If people can get more in depth looks through the house, then that’s even better. For one, you can offer tours to agents in your area so they can report on your home to their clients. But you should also consider offering virtual tours so people can explore your home without having to come to a viewing. It assures them there are no aspects of the home you might be trying to hide.

Effectively marketing the house is how you get the best start to selling your home. Without getting more interest, you won’t get as many visitors, as many interested parties, and as many offers as you could. Meaning you’re missing out on the chance to get a better deal. Take the step of marketing the house seriously.

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