The majority of us need every penny of a home sale to go into our new home, therefore selling your home can be extremely stressful. There are lots of ways in which people unintentionally decrease the value of their property. If you manage not to fall into these common traps, you will be surprised at how much your house can sell for. Over the next two months, I will try and cover some of the issues house sellers can make:
1. Lack of floor space: For a future buyer rooms that are small and full with furniture are off-putting. Rearrange your furniture and store excess items from rooms, so you can create at least the appearance of space, you won't be disappointed. Access problems around the house are another area you need to think about, when you need to go through rooms to access other areas of the house such as bathrooms, it can have a negative impact on the people viewing your property.
2. Home improvements could be a dilemma if it was done badly, remember the 70s? For those that remember stone cladding, brick fireplaces and ornamental plaster on the walls; this is a definite turn off for future buyers. Make sure any house work are in keeping with the age and style of the house. An old farmhouse would look extremely strange with plastic window frames and laminate flooring, on the other hand period fitments and stone fireplaces would look out of place in a modern apartment. Putting up a room extension that takes over the entire garden is also a bad decision.
3. Make sure your roof is in a fair state of repair, roofs are expensive to replace and no-one is going to buy a house if the roof isn't in good condition. People hearing the words 'roof problems or leaks', are going to walk away from your home and not return. Make sure the roof is at least in satisfactory condition before putting your house on the market.
4. Apart from the kitchen, the bathroom has a massive role when it comes to selling any house. Have a critical look at your bathroom; look for broken tiles, broken toilet seat, lime scale build up, tired and dated toilets to mention just a few possible troublesome problems. A quick repair here and there could pay off a lot
5. Potted plants and flower arrangements: These can make a space look and smell wonderful and fresh, but make sure they are not dying and shedding leaves and petals everywhere. As a
condos in Vancouver expert I know plants can do well even in a loft. Seeing half dead or dead plants can have a poor impact on what the buyer feels about you and your home, so dispose of them before anyone comes round to look at your home.
picture by Velo Steve
