Richard Banes-Walker
Senior Associate Director, Estate Agency
Figures suggest large family homes are taking longer to sell than semi-detached properties or flats. But there are a few things you can do to speed up your sale.
Rightmove has found that properties with 4 or more bedrooms take 74 days to sell – 16 days more than homes with fewer than 4 beds.
Some of this is down to seasonal changes and the impact of Brexit – people spending large sums on family homes are often in a better position to choose when to move, meaning they often take longer to buy.
But there are a few simple changes to make sure your family home stands out from the rest and is snapped up earlier…
Be flexible
Just because you think the loft is best used as a kids play room, doesn’t mean potential buyers will. If it’s listed as a bedroom, have a bed in it. Not only does this hammer home the point but it also lets buyers see how much space there is around a bed. For smaller rooms, use a single or children’s bed.
Same goes for the rest of your property – adapt it to what the buyer wants, not what you think is right.
Do your research
It’s always worth keeping your eye on the market before listing your home so you know what price to go for.
But there are a number of other factors to take into account such as which similar homes sold quickly, how much below (or above) asking price did they go for, and what made them stand out from the rest? Did they have a better location, perfectly manicured garden or stylish décor?
Know when to sell
Spring, especially around April, is usually a good time to sell any type of property. You’re far enough from Christmas that people are back into the swing of things and the garden will be looking its best.
But you could opt for February or March – there will be fewer homes on the market in these quieter months so your property might have less competition.
Photograph at its best
Gardens are important when it comes to selling homes. GoCompare found the third best feature of a home is its garden, while Strutt & Parker’s Housing Futures report put a walled garden as the top dream outside feature.
This means you’ve got to make the most of this key selling point. If you know in advance you’re going to sell, get photos taken when the garden’s at its best – usually around spring or early summer. Even if you’re not planning on listing until winter, get the photos done and keep them on file.
The same goes for the interior – photograph rooms when they’re best lit, not on overcast, dull days.
Make sure the price is right
Choosing a price isn’t always about just going for what it’s worth. Sometimes you’ve got to price your home tactically.
Think about how people search for homes. Buyers often pick a cut-off point - say £700,000 - and search for homes below this value. If your home is on for £705,000 it won’t turn up in these searches – it’ll fall into the category above. This means it’ll be one of the last on the list of homes valued under £750,000. It’s better to go for £699,995, as it’ll push it to the top of the list.
Keep viewings interesting
Showing someone around a large home can become a bit repetitive if you’re taking them into endless bedrooms, so try and keep viewings a bit more exciting. Mix up rooms, taking them into two bedrooms then a feature bathroom, back to a bedroom, then the loft conversion.
Have a break in between viewing the house and the grounds to let the buyers reflect on what they’ve just seen. You could even offer them a drink or nibble to keep their energy up.
Don’t let size put them off
Big homes can be daunting for someone making a move up the housing ladder. Large gardens, out buildings, swimming pools and multiple bathrooms could seem like a lot of hard work to someone used to a smaller property - especially if they’ve got a family to look after as well.
This means you’ve got to make it clear how easy it is to run the home, whether that’s through features that make it simple to keep it clean, or letting them know how affordable it is to hire someone else to do the maintenance.
Keep it family free
While you’re selling a family home - and the family lifestyle - you’re not selling your family. Make sure your kids and pets (and their associated clutter) are elsewhere during viewings as they can make rooms feel busy and messy.
The same goes for personal items – try and limit the number of family photos on the walls, replacing them with more neutral art works or images. Having said this, a few mementoes which show that your family have been through a journey in the house can bring a sense of place and demonstrate what a great and fun home it’s been. So there’s no need to overdo the cleansing to such an extent that your property loses its personality.