When you have your home up for sale, time seems to stand still. You’re in limbo, caught between your old life, and your new one, with no way of knowing when you’ll be able to move on – both literally and emotionally.

As the weeks turn into months, and the viewings dry up, it’s easy to become despondent and dispirited. Especially when you see house after house in your area sell, even those that came to the market long after your house did. 

You can’t define why no one seems to want your house; you chose a professional estate agent; your asking price is about right; you have kept your house looking lovely for viewers, so what’s gone wrong?

Firstly, you’re not alone. Since 1846, Sawdye & Harris have worked with homeowners that have also been completely demoralised by their inability to move on. With some discreet research, we have often found that their marketing strategy was flawed, and their online presence sadly lacking in quality; none of which was their fault. 

Secondly, if you find yourself in this position, with a lack of viewings, having had your house on the market for months or even years, our ‘Re-launch Strategy’ will refresh your marketing – and hopefully your motivation too – and get your house sold for the price you want.

Time to start again

We suggest a return to basics. In essence, you are going to pretend you have never tried to sell, and instead plan a launch of your home to the market. This time though, every aspect of your marketing campaign will be perfect, right from the start. 

·         Take your house off the market

This probably feels counter-intuitive, but it can help to revitalise your home sale. A break from the market has several advantages: it gives you a break, it stops your house becoming stale and it gives you the chance to take stock and plan a launch properly.

·         Give your agent notice

If your agent demands a notice period, then give them formal notice in writing; you can always rescind this later if you change your mind. Ask that during the notice period your house be withdrawn from any online advertising. This will give you the space you need to start planning your re-launch.

Prepare your home properly

Make sure your home is ready for photography and viewings. Perhaps this is a step that you rushed or even overlooked the first time you put your property on the market, but it’s vital you spend time and effort, and even money, on this very important preparation for marketing.

·         Consider marketing your home with a new estate agent

The estate agency you have used to market your home previously may not be the best to re-launch your house to market effectively. After all, they have tried and failed to sell your property.

Whatever the reason, their motivation and enthusiasm for selling your home after trying for some time without success, is bound to be low. Sometimes you just need an agent with a fresh attitude and new enthusiasm to add new life into a marketing campaign.

Don’t just choose the agent with the lowest fee and highest valuation. Take a considered view on their professionalism, their success locally, and whether you like them or not. After all, you’re going to be working quite closely with them for some time.

·         Review your photographs

Take a critical and if you can, objective view of the photography used by your last agent or agents to market your home. Is it really good enough? Look at the photographs of the best homes marketed online by Savills, Knight Frank and the other premium agents. Does it compare, or do your images look like the agent has just snapped them in a hurry on their small point-and-shoot?

·         The ‘write’ way to sell your house

Once you have your home presented beautifully and some gorgeous photographs, the next step is to turn your attention to your written description. The words used to describe your home in your brochure and online advert need to persuade a buyer it’s worth the time and effort to view your home.  

·         Name your price

The final decision to make before you are ready to re-launch your home to the market, is the asking price. Ask yourself:

Does your agent support it? If you set your asking price way above that which the agent recommends, their lack of support could well be evident in the way they talk about your property to their team and also to buyers

Is there precedent? If your home is unique, there may well be a lack of comparable properties, and therefore you have much more flexibility in the price you choose to market your home at. However, if you are in a row of similar properties, chances are that there will be plenty of historical evidence to guide you into choosing an asking price that fits in with those of your neighbouring properties.

Does it fit in with an online search?  Currently, 93% of property searches start online (source: Rightmove). You need to choose an asking price that will ensure your home is found by the maximum number of buyers searching the property portals. To maximise the number of buyers who will see your property, stay away from the 9s, such as £499,999, and instead choose a rounded figure that fits in with the price bandings the online portals use, such as £500,000.

Ready, Steady, Launch!

You’re ready to launch, this time, with success! 

Taking back control of your property sale can feel empowering and motivating. The steps might be simple, but not necessarily easy.  And that’s where we come in.

If you’re struggling to sell your home, maybe we can help you to move on. Let’s have a chat so we can understand your moving plans and guide you through the options. You can pop us an email at hello@sawdyeandharris.co.uk or call us on 01364 652652  We also have lots more information about selling your home so get in touch today.

It is the 1st June 2019 – a day of great change,  time for a change in how we all do things with regards to hashtag#lettings, its a new era for the industry and one we must all embrace.

In an industry that is evolving, with increasing legislation, landlords need the best quality service,  and now more than ever need a letting agent who is professional knows what they are doing and being hashtag#ARLA   Propertymark is  ahead of the game. Find out more in our video update ….

What does the new Tenant Fees Act mean for you?

For more information contact us on 01364 652652 or 01626 852666

Source: Rightmove.co.uk

APRIL 2019 HOUSING MARKET UPDATE 

DRESS YOUR HOME TO IMPRESS YOUR BUYERS

When your house is for sale, it’s exciting to get a viewing booked. After all, that viewer could become a buyer!

It’s important then to make sure your house is looking its absolute best, and dressed to impress, so we’ve created a three-step guide to make it easy for you to get the important things right:

Step 1: Check your kerb appeal

If your viewer doesn’t love the look of your home from the front, they may never get past the front door!

·         How’s your front door looking? Smarten it up with a new coat of paint and make sure your handle and letterbox are relatively new.

·         Check your lights. If you’re showing your home in the evening, you need to make sure your buyer doesn’t trip on their way in! Make sure your outside lamps are working and clean.

·         Keep your path, driveway or steps swept of leaves, and free from rubbish. Park vehicles neatly and put away bikes and toys out of sight.

·         House name or number – is it straight and clean? Make sure your viewers can find your home easily, without stress.

·         Windows – keep them sparkling clean and make sure there’s no flaking paint or greying uPVC.

·         Green stuff – even if your front space is tiny, plant a creeper or buy plants in pots to add colour and interest. 

So now you have your outside looking wonderful, it’s time to move inside…

Step 2: Giving your interior the WOW factor 

Styling the interior of your home to make it more attractive for viewings doesn’t have to be expensive. We’ve put together a list of a few home styling accessories that will add some stylish polish your viewer will love:  

·         Cushions – a really easy way to instantly update that fading suite and add colour, texture and interest at the same time.

·         Rugs – a large, deep rug can transform a room, adding warmth and style.  You don’t have to spend a fortune on them; eBay shops are full of large fluffy rugs for less than you might think. Stick to neutral colours to add a sense of spaciousness.

·         Fruit – fill a big glass bowl or wide vase full of just one type of fruit for instant contemporary style. Oranges, green apples or lemons look wonderful. 

·         Flowers – long elegant Cala lilies look great on a large dining table, and little hand-tied posies are just right for a rustic kitchen.  Choose carefully for maximum impact

·         Toiletries – invest in luxury, and just keep them out for viewings.

·         New bedding – especially for the master bedroom, where it matters most to your buyers.  Go for plain, neutral designs, then add some cushions and a textured throw.  Voila! A hotel-style bedroom your viewers will adore.

·         Towels – used towels never quite look the same as brand new ones, so treat your home to some gorgeous new towels, and make sure that no one uses them – they’re just for show!  Whip them away and hide them after each viewing so they stay looking their best.

Step 3: A final check

Here’s a final checklist to make sure your viewers have the best possible experience of viewing your home:

·         Shut all your doors – let the viewers open them, so each room becomes a little ‘surprise’

·         Laundry – check radiators and put away clothes maidens to hide all signs of domestic chores

•        Pets – if you have a cat litter tray, put it outside or in the garage, out of sight. If you have a dog and you can persuade       someone to take it for a walk, it would save a viewer being distracted by sloppy licks – especially if they’re a non-dog lover. Also move Fido’s bed, food bowl or anything else out of the way.
   
• Open windows – unless it’s really cold, it’s nice to have some fresh air in the house.
  
  
• Is it warm enough? You may have been rushing around doing last minute tidying, but your viewers need a warm, welcoming home to look around, so err on the side of warmer is better.
  
  
• Put all toilet seats down – enough said!

So your home is looking wonderful – inside and out, and you’ve checked to make sure your viewers don’t see anything they shouldn’t. What’s next?

Atmosphere! That elusive element that can put your viewers at ease and relax them so that they enjoy viewing your home.  Light some lightly-scented candles and make sure your lamps are all lit to create a lovely warm glow. If you have a fire – real or otherwise – light it around half an hour before time. Playing some soft music in the background is a nice touch, and if it has a slow beat, it could even help persuade your viewers to linger – just long enough to fall in love with your home!

If you’re selling your home – or thinking of it, we’d love to have a chat with you. You can pop us an email at katie@sawdyeandharris.co.uk or call us on 01364 652652.  We also have lots more information about selling your home here www.sawdyeandharris.co.uk