Successful Selling

1. THE PRICE

    

   Be clear and realistic about the price. Many home owners have a good idea of what their property is worth but you can get good history on the price of recently sold comparable properties in your area from websites such as www.houseprices.co.uk , www.hometrack.co.uk and www.nethouseprices.com
   For a bespoke valuation you may wish to try: www.e-valuations.co.uk
   
   Remember that a property is worth what someone is prepared to pay for it, not what you think they should be prepared to pay! By all means hold out for the best price, but be realistic.

    

2. THE DESCRIPTION

    

   Type out a draft of your description first. Take plenty of time to edit it until you’re happy with it. Show it to others, and sleep on it before putting your description on the web.
   
   Use language that real people use, not the language that some estate agents use! Describe the property as if you were describing it to a friend. Bring your description to life, with descriptions of what’s really likeable about the property, but remember to be honest and accurate in how you describe and portray your home.

    

3. PHOTOGRAPHS

    

   • You can have up to 9 digital photos, so include as many as possible because they give buyers a really good impression of your property.

    

   • If possible take photos when the sun is shining or at very least on a bright day, but not directly into the sun. If that means waiting 12 hours until the sun is in the right position – do so, it really is worth the wait to ensure the property looks at its best!

    

   • Include some interior photos. In particular the living room, kitchen and master bedroom. Turn on all the lights if necessary, and draw the curtains back as far as you can.

    

   • If at all possible, make sure that your photos are either all portrait or all landscape, as a mixture of the two will not look good on the page.

    

   • Your photos should be taken at 72 dpi – probably the lowest resolution (or ‘quality’) image that your camera will take. Otherwise, the photos will take too long for potential buyers to download, and they may not bother. If you’re still unsure about the right settings for your camera, refer to its manual.

    

   • Depending on your room layout, try taking pictures from every angle, not just the one you see from the door. Try it with the window behind you, too (but don’t stand right in front of the window or you’ll block the light!).

    

   • It’s often the small details that people remember about a property. Consider some close-ups, of period features, for example.

    

   • Above all else, you are selling a property by the water – don’t forget to include a photograph of those all important water views!

    

4. MAKE IT CLEAN AND TIDY

    

   Give the house a good tidy and clean – it will make all the difference. Put everything away, take the yellow sticky notes off the fridge, clean the windows. In short, look for clutter and mess – then banish them!
   
   Do this before you take the photographs, and before EVERY viewing.