What’s Stopping Your Home from Selling?
It’s frustrating – you’ve been on the market for a while, you’ve had some nibbles, but no real interest. You’ve redecorated, dropped the price by a few grand, but nada. What’s going on?
A bad smell
You may not be aware of it, as you live in your home. Do you have pets, or do you smoke indoors? Is there damp anywhere? Ask a good friend to give you an honest appraisal and do what you can to eliminate the source of the pong. Whatever you do, don’t use sprays and air fresheners – viewers hate it and they wonder what you’re masking.
A grubby bathroom
A clean bathroom is a real must for a house. Any weird stains, mouldy towels, an unbleached toilet and a scum ring in the bath are real turn-offs for buyers. Invest in a new shower curtain, buy a new bathroom mat, bust out the limescale spray and reseal the bath. It all helps.
Unused, damp rooms
Any unused rooms, especially basements, can seem damp as there’s no air movement or heat going on. Sometimes it’s seeping rainwater, not a fault in the foundations but even the idea of damp makes buyers twitchy. Find out if an unused room feels damp, air it, turn on a radiator or use a space heater and if it still feels dank, work out where the water is coming from and sort it ASAP. It’s worth the investment.
No kerb appeal
The outside of your house needs to be chocolate as box as possible. Paint the exterior, remove toys or any old furniture, trellises, ratty-looking storage boxes and so on. Kerb appeal encourages buyers no end.
Give viewers space
Following viewers around can really put them off. They want to walk around, discuss things with their partner and “feel” the house without you hovering, listening in. Make sure you’re approachable, though – tell them you’ll be in the kitchen, ready with some coffee – as they may have questions.
