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Buyers’ Likes and Gripes

  • 7 years ago

Buyers’ Likes and Gripes

If you’re selling your house, you need to think about what potential buyers want and then give them as much as you can. The more buyer-friendly your property is, the faster it’ll sell – and the more money you’ll get for it.

You need to assess your property objectively and look for the positives and negatives it offers – accentuate the positive and eliminate the negative, as the old song goes.

The biggest gripes

By far the biggest turn-offs for househunters are visible mould and bad smells in a house. A bad smell is either down to damp or another hidden problem, or it’s a sign you haven’t looked after the place very well.

If you’re present for viewings and you’re grumpy or seem unapproachable, then potential buyers will worry about dealing with you in what is a stressful transaction at the best of times. They’ll also be worried about a scruffy house next door, unpleasant looking or sounding neighbours, very obvious signs of pets (if you catch the drift), too many pets and an untidy or neglected garden. People want to see that you love the house and that you’ve looked after it.

The likes

Househunters most want to see clean interiors and well-maintained gardens. Then comes new internal décor and paintwork and a good-looking street with clean, cared-for houses. A clean, tidy street looks welcoming and safe; much better than a rundown row of houses that looks sad and neglected.

Once inside, people want to smell nice smells – fresh bread, coffee, subtle house perfumes (do not choke visitors with overpowering artificial air fresheners, this is a major turn-off). Fresh flowers go a long way and don’t cost so much that you can’t replace them every time you have a viewing – place them in every downstairs room.

To sum up, your property needs to be clean, with recent décor – neutral works best – and decluttered. Of course there are no failsafe methods when it comes to selling, but by following these time-tested rules and tips you’ll increase your chances.

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