Selling Guide

First impressions

Buyers will be at their most active when the property is first offered for sale. It is essential that the guide price is set at a level that reflects current market trends and attracts a good level of buyers right from the start. Look after your kerb appeal, take care of the lawn, paint windows, door, woodwork, and buy a few plants. Potential buyers will feel compelled to find out more about your property if the front of your house is pleasant and tidy.

Show your spacious property

Pack away things that you haven't used for at least a year. Redistribute any items that make the property look smaller and you are effectively saving time on packing.

Make a difference

A good spring clean will make a significant difference. If you want to go that extra step you can buy some accessories for the property.

Repairs and maintenance

Finish off small DIY jobs - touch-up chipped woodwork and replace washers on dripping taps.
A well-kept garden, pathway and fence are immediately appealing.
Water can cause major problems in unwanted places. Check your roof and guttering and replace broken tiles. It's worth casting an eye over the drains too. A drain cleared before a blockage occurs is easier on the nose and the wallet!
A regular lick of paint will keep a property looking good and keep deterioration at bay. A newly-painted front door with shiny brass fittings always creates a good impression. When selling, a surveyor will be able to spot if attempts at 'sprucing up' your property are simply quick fixes - he'll be much more impressed by ongoing maintenance.
Cutting the lawn can be a last-minute pick-me-up. Feeding it a couple of weeks beforehand will brighten it up and make it look healthy.
If your fitted kitchen units look tired, simply replace or paint and varnish the doors. This will be much cheaper than buying a new kitchen. If the units are in fairly good condition and only look dated, just replace the doorknobs, handles and taps. Another economical trick is to fit good, solid worktops on to existing units.

Look and feel

Paint walls - a pale, plain shade maximises the feeling of light and space and enables buyers to imagine their possessions in the property. Research shows that most buyers prefer natural, earthy colours to bright, bold shades. Although there's a wide range of paint colours available, magnolia is still the top-selling colour.
To prevent rooms looking too bland, use strong colours for accent walls or cushions and accessories.
De-personalise your rooms by removing personal items such as family photographs and children's drawings which may distract potential buyers. Buyers should be looking at the property, not the owner's possessions. Removing clutter makes it easier for buyers to imagine their own belongings in a room.
Plant pots can provide colour in your garden. If you don't have the time to fill your own, you can always get some ready-made.
Flowers and a bowl of fruit will brighten up a room and provide a pleasant smell.
Organise rooms - a property will be more appealing if rooms have a specific purpose and this allows buyers to see the full potential of the property.
Revitalise a bathroom with a green leafy plant, new taps, a shower curtain and a light pull. All these items can be picked up cheaply from DIY warehouses.
Coloured bathroom suites are out and old-fashioned white is back in vogue. If you've got an avocado or pink bathroom, consider investing in a white suite. It will add value to your property.
Restoring fireplaces and period features, such as ceiling roses and cornices, can add thousands of pounds to a property. If you don't have a fireplace, a striking picture can work equally well. If you decide to install a fireplace, look for an original period grate and surround in reclamation yards.
Pick up more ideas in Homes DIY and Design Inspiration sections.

Tips

Avoid strong food odours - don't cook food such as fish or curry before a viewing as the smell will linger. The smell of freshly-baked bread or fresh coffee is said to provide a welcoming feel to a home.
Ask friends or family to look after any pets during viewings.
Try and make viewers feel comfortable. Offer them a coffee and ask them if they need any further information about bills or local amenities.

Viewings

Tidy up before every viewing. For a welcoming aroma a good tip is to prepare some coffee minutes before a viewing. Have several sets of property particulars by the front door, paper and pen in case they have questions that you cannot answer at that precise moment and inside our folder have ready all relevant utility bills and paperwork. Genuinely interested viewers will make questions about monthly expenses, etc.

Security

Be sure to obtain all the viewer’s details when arranging times and dates. Check you have the right name and contact details of each viewer, and ask the viewer to confirm all the details to you upon their arrival. If you are going to be alone in the house, it is probably a good idea to ask a friend or a neighbour to accompany you whilst you show your home.

Be friendly whilst conducting the viewings but don’t be lured into giving away too much personal information. Be cautious of conversations that inform people of your movements, for example holiday plans and work schedules, anything that informs the Viewer when the property is likely to be empty.

If you are selling through an agent ask the agent to conduct the viewing on your behalf, make sure that the agent has accurate information regarding alarm codes and locations. Also check that the alarm location is not referred to in any of the sales literature about your property. If you do decide to leave keys with your agent it is a good idea to ask for a receipt and ensure that they will inform you of any viewings they will be conducting.

Using a sale board is a great way of marketing your property. However from time to time this does encourage people driving past to knock on the door and ask to view. If this happens and you are selling through an agent, refer them to your agent and arrange a time that suits you and that you are comfortable with.

Preparing For Completion

Get quotes from removal companies and check the limits of their insurance. Some of them may give you a date with at least a month’s notice. Don’t forget, if you are unsure about the completion date you can book a provisional date. Try to choose a company that adheres to a code of practice and is a member of an authoritative body such as the British Association of Removers (BAR) or the National Guild of Removers and Storers (NGRS). Ask about timings and when they will arrive and how long can you expect them to take. Be honest with the removal company about the amount you have to move.

Alongside your inventory, make a plan of your new property and decide what each room will be used for. You can the use this plan to co-ordinate your packing and label or colour code your boxes and furniture accordingly. Give a copy of the plan to the removal company. They can make sure that boxes destined for bedroom one are taken to bedroom one.

You can use your inventory to help them with this. The exchange of keys should be arranged for as early on the day of the move as possible if not before as it will be costly to have the removal van waiting around.

Above All: Get a good Solicitor!

Speak to your solicitor first about when completion may take place. This depends on a myriad of variables and the solicitor will never be able to give you a definite date until after exchange of contracts which is when you the seller and the buyer are legally contracted to go ahead with the transaction. Make sure you get yourself a good lawyer , preferably a local one rather than a chap on the end of the phone. It's very useful to be able to just nip in and have a quick chat about any problems, and it's a bit tricky if your solicitor is up in Newcastle!

EPO Lawyers, previously known as Eddowes Perry and Osbourne Solicitors , have been acting for local people for over 360 years in the Birmingham area, and they are renowned for their friendly and efficient approach. Ask for a quote from Bernice Bailey, Kerry Osbourne or Leigh Mounce on 01216869444 or 07778651833