How to Sweeten a Deal
It’s a tough old market out there, with a lot of uncertainty about the UK’s future in Europe, buyers struggling to raise deposits and concerns about interest rate rises.
You’d be forgiven for feeling a bit dog-eat-dog about the property market right now, but a little kindness can go a long way, which is why you should offer a helping hand to buyers whenever you can. No-one’s suggesting you lower your asking price to a level that affects your finances, but you can certainly pour a little sugar on the proceedings to make things that little bit more attractive.
Offer to leave some of your furniture or equipment behind
If you’re downsizing, or moving somewhere where your current furniture won’t fit, leave it for the new owners. Similarly, if your gardening equipment doesn’t need to make the move with you, leave that behind as well. You’re not lowering your asking price, but you’re saving your buyers a few hundred pounds, which is especially welcome after buying a house!
Buy your buyers a year’s membership at your local health club or gym
If you’re already members there, your gym might be able to give you a discount on the membership. This will be a real bonus for some people, as it will help them to meet people and settle into what may be a new area more rapidly.
Offer to pay some or all of the legal fees or stamp duty
For first-time buyers, or for people moving up the property ladder, these fees can be a real struggle. If stamp duty and solicitor fees might prove to be a stumbling block and you really want to make your sale happen, absorb some or all of the costs into your own expenses. Think of it as paying it forward – you never know, one day a kind vendor might help you or your children to move up or get onto that ladder.