Like many homeowners, you might find the home selling process potentially stressful or even daunting. To help, regulated property buyers, GoodMove, share some of the most common problems homeowners experience when selling a property, as well as tips on what you can do if you experience these issues.
Asking Price
One of the first things you need to really think about when putting your house on the market is the asking price. Of course, all sellers want to get the best price for their property, but if your asking price is too high then you are already losing out on potential buyers.
There are a number of ways in which you can determine a fair asking price including online research, advice from various estate agents and having a property survey.
Attracting buyers
When putting your house up for sale, it is important for other people to see your property at its best, both inside and out, in order to draw in potential buyers. Little things such as fresh paint on your front door, flowers and plants, de-weeding your garden, or even some simple cleaning and de-cluttering can make a massive difference.
Not only that but it’s likely that a buyers first impression of your house will come from the photos featured on the property listing, so ensuring that these images are attractive and welcoming is crucial.
A few ways in which you can get your house looking its best include using a high-quality camera, tidying your home both inside and out, and taking time to find the best angles and lighting, ideally on a bright, clear day.
Estate Agents
During the house selling process, you’re probably going to end up interacting closely with your chosen estate agent. Even though their job is to help you, it is possible that you may encounter some issues with your estate agent during the selling process.
For example, an estate agent may overestimate the value of your property in hopes of increasing their commission or you might find yourself feeling as though they are not doing enough to help sell your property. If you are unhappy, the best way to try resolve this is by trying to communicate clearly with them and if necessary, you may want to take things further and formally write to them.
Structural Problems
These are the sort of issues that affect the structural integrity of a property and can come about due to poor workmanship or design, cheap building materials, or even something else completely out of a builders’ control. Fortunately, it is still possible to sell a property with structural problems, so it really is up to the seller to decide whether they believe it is worth fixing or not depending on their individual situation.
For those looking to sell fast, spending the time and money on rectifying the faults may not be worthwhile, however finding a buyer will be more difficult. Therefore, depending on your own personal circumstances, it may be better to fix the problems which will also increase the property value, although the costs involved may impact your overall profit.
Japanese Knotweed
The appearance of Japanese knotweed is something many homeowners fear when it comes to selling their house. A notoriously difficult problem, this plant can cause serious damage to a property and as a seller you are required to disclose if a property has been affected, and ultimately this does make the process harder.
While it is still possible to sell a property with Japanese knotweed, this does limit your options, although ways to do so include selling at auction or to cash buyers. Therefore, it may be in your best interest to remove the knotweed and have a treatment plan in place but be prepared for both long and costly repair and removal processes.
Commenting, Ross Counsell, Director at GoodMove, says: “With the UK property market currently thriving, many homeowners are looking to sell their houses quickly and easily. We know that this is not always the simplest process especially given the uncertainty around how long your property may be on the market.
“Therefore, we wanted to look at some of the most common problems that can arise during the selling process and offer advice to hopefully help homeowners and make selling your property a lot less stressful.”
For more top tips on how to sell your home fast in 2021, be sure to check out our in-depth guide here
