1. What’s the value of your home?
You probably have a good idea of what you think your home might be worth. In fact, you may already be checking Daft.ie to see what similar homes in your area are selling for and to also discover how much your neighbours are asking for their properties. Having a local Estate Agent look at your home is the first step towards getting a practical idea of the value of your property.
Once you have made contact with the Estate Agent they will arrange a time to view your property and will do some work based on their local area market knowledge, recent comparable sales in the area and form an opinion on the value of your home. Even if you don’t plan to sell for a few months, getting an idea of the market value of your home from a trained professional is an invaluable piece of information and can help you plan ahead accordingly.
2. How is your property at present?
You may be living in your home for several years, have fond memories of events that took place inside the four walls but sentiment has no place when selling. It’s all about “kerb appeal” now. Creating kerb appeal increases the number of potential buyers visiting your house and can add Euros to the final selling price. You need to start thinking and acting like a seller and anticipating what a buyer will expect when they come to view your property. That spare room that has become a very large storage cabinet may be fine for you, but will a prospective buyer appreciate seeing clutter when they come to view the property? Think like a buyer and imagine what you would like to see if you were viewing a home and react accordingly.
A property inspection could be a very shrewd investment. Not only will it answer all your questions about the state of your home (do you need a new roof for example) it will also allow you to plan how much you want to invest.
In most cases you will need to do some work before selling. Your Estate Agent will be able to help and give you idea.
3. What’s everyone else doing?
Approach selling as a business venture.
Would you set up a business without knowing what the competition is doing? What way do they present their homes for sale? How much are they asking for their property? Knowledge is power. Check out the upcoming viewings section on Daft.ie and go along to some open homes to get an idea of what you are up against. The more you see, the better you will be equipped to know what you need to do to sell yours.
4. Do your homework
After speaking to your Estate Agent you may have a list of things to do before you decide to list your property for sale.
Work with your Estate Agent to prioritise which items you will attend to first that will have the most impact on the value of your property.
Next, place yourself in the prospective buyer’s shoes. Do as much research as you can into your own home, the condition it’s in and where it currently sits in the market. You may notice certain things come up – does your home have easy access to a motorway for instance, or, public transport? Will your home have access in the future due to planned works? If you have this information you can make informed decisions on your property.
5. Set a deadline
Now that you have got a list of what you need to get done, set a date with your Estate Agent.
Give yourself enough time to make sure you can plan, inspect and feel comfortable with all the work on the list. Once that is complete set a date to “list” your property on Daft.ie.
Your home should be “showhouse ready” for your photo shoot ahead of placing your listing on Daft.ie and remember first impressions count. Kerb appeal and location are still very important but photos will be the first interaction a prospective buyer has with your home and this is your chance to “wow” them. Use the photos as a hook to draw the buyer in.
No two home sales will be alike. However by having a good Estate Agent with you and planning ahead you can make the entire process as stress free as possible.