20 Top Tips for Selling your Home in 2020 – Part 1

1. Do your research in advance

Will the sale of your home generate ‘enough’ cash? What we mean by the term ‘enough’ is, will you be in a position to trade up or down to the home you want, in the location you want? Do not make assumptions, test the marketplace.

2. Commit to selling – Make decision, know your bottom price

Occasionally people bring their home to the market despite not being sure whether or not they truly want to sell or whether now is in fact the right time. This is generally a recipe for disaster. Uncommitted sellers tend to value their own home disproportionately high, they are generally not accommodating when it comes to viewings and not flexible when negotiations start. There can be no winners in this scenario so the best advice is to do your research, then make a decision and stick to that decision unless circumstances change. The main challenge of being an uncommitted seller is that if when you finally make the decision to accept any offers, the buyers might be gone. Second chances are rare in a recovering market.

3. Know your buyer

Once the decision to sell has been made, it’s important to figure out who your buyer is likely to be as this will help to determine pricing and targeted marketing. In most areas outside of Dublin, there is very little overlap between the types of property that a home-buyer (first-time buyer or those trading up) or and investor will consider. Budget plays a part in this but the other considerations are property type i.e. house or apartment, or location i.e. town, country or outskirts of town.  Knowing who your buyer is likely to be makes marketing the property more straightforward and increases relevant enquiries quickly.

4. Price it right

Property valuation is actually quite different to pricing a property to bring to market. There has to be some element of strategic thinking involved. Depending upon the local supply and demand, it might make sense to start at a lower price to garner as much interest as possible from as many different buyers as possible. The higher the number of bidders, the better chance of achieving a strong price.  On the flip side of that, it is important not to price too low so that prospect buyers are put off by some perceived ‘flaw’ or reason for the cheap price. This is particularly true when it comes to home buyers, who often equate price with value i.e. a higher price means better quality, but this is not always true.

5. Market strategically  

If you have done your homework in terms of knowing your buyer, then it is much easier to know how, and more importantly where, to market your property. All Kinsella Estates’ listed properties are uploaded to Ireland’s main property portals, however we also understand the importance of social media and more traditional offline approaches depending up on the profile of the buyer. This is particularly important when targeting recent expats who are likely to be returning home to live and work in ireland. 

6. It’s never too early to start decluttering

Declutter is key when getting your house ready for potential buyers to view. When selling your house you must remember that when buyers are in your house, no is out of bounds. Buyers need and want to see everything or they won’t want to buy your house. Tidy hidden storage rooms to look bigger, your garage, utility room, closets and backyard shelves. Perhaps invest in some shelving to help these areas look spacious and organised. 

7. Present it well

I mentioned earlier that there are no second chances and this is always true for first impressions.  It can be tempting just to bring your home to the market as is just to ‘test the marketplace’, with the intention to carrying out any upgrading works if and when they are needed. My best advice here is to resist this temptation. As a general rule, home buyers will not revisit a property they have already viewed and ruled out due to lack of appeal. The one exception to this is a substantial price drop but this is a very costly mistake to make. You really do only have one chance for your home to make a good first impression, don’t blow it for lack of a coat of paint!

8. Prioritise the entrance hallway

The front door sets the tone of your house and the front hall confirms it. If your front door has paint peeling or faded and even damaged, it could make any viewer wonder what other parts of the house may be out of date also. Replace any worn or grubby fittings and maximise light. For most families, the hallway is the busiest part of the home so consider some coat rack or shoe storage solutions to keep the area appealing to would-be buyers. 

9. Don’t allow one room let your home down

Don’t allow any one room in your home to be the downfall of a successful sale. Most family homes have a ‘junk’ room, cluttered with boxes and empty suitcases and Christmas decorations etc. Even if your home doesn’t succumb to the curse of the spare room, chances are your utility room is not for public viewing! It might not be worth a pre-sale makeover but there are plenty of ways to make it less of a pain point. Your laundry area should be as clean as a fresh load of clothes coming out of the dryer. A decluttering exercise and a fresh coat of light-coloured paint will go a long way in brightening up this tiny room. Consider some shelving or cupboards if you don’t have anything already. Minimalism is key in this small room. 

10. Cliche or not, the kitchen is still the heart of the home

When getting your kitchen ‘sale ready’, you don’t need to spend a huge amount of money that you may not make back in the sale of the house. Instead, there are small things you can do to get the heart of your home ready for potential buyers. Simple things such as removing old appliances (kettle/toaster) and unnecessary clutter from the countertops will give your kitchen an instant lift. Your kitchen should look and feel as bright and spacious as possible. Be aware of odours, it may be a bit of a cliche but a batch of anything home baked will leave your buyers with a happy heart. 

*20 Top Tips for Selling your Home in 2020 – Part 2 coming on March 6th 2020*

For your FREE, no obligation, valuation in the South Wicklow and North Wexford area, call into one of our offices (located in Carnew and Gorey) and chat to any of our expert team or you can contact us online at www.KinsellaEstates.ie. We are happy to facilitate overseas buyers and sellers via Skype or similar, outside of regular office hours.  Alternatively, email me directly on michael@kinsellaestates.ie or telephone: +353 53 94 21718