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Get your home sold this summer with these top tips

tips to sell your house this summer

It can be disheartening to not sell straight away. As frustration rises, it is natural to consider throwing in the towel and giving up, removing the property from the market and deciding reluctantly to stay where you are. But what if there was a way to give things a little boost so that you can sell your home and move to the property you’ve been dreaming of?

Whether you are already on the market and haven’t found that buyer yet, or you had a sale but it fell through, you probably need a refresh to boost your marketing to get a sale before the end of the summer.

These tips should help you find success:

Gather information

First, you need to take a look at the marketing and interest that you have had – has there been any constructive feedback? Have you had any offers yet? Have other properties similar to yours already sold?

Analysis

Carefully consider the information that you have gathered. How many viewings have you had? How does your property listing compare to other properties that have sold?

Be reasonable

Of course, we all want our home to be worth a lot of money, but if you have had low viewing numbers and/or low offers, it may be time to consider a price reduction. 

Refresh

Is the marketing of your property showcasing things in the best way possible? Maybe it is time to consider re-taking the photographs or rewriting the description to encourage more viewers.

Implementation

Come up with a plan to refresh and renew your marketing and implement it as if it was a new launch to the market to try a recreate that buzz that you had when you initially marketed the property.

Fisher & Partners can advise you on this process, and of course, we will also relaunch the property through our internal systems to match it up to buyers on their database. The idea is that if it is all starting to feel a bit stale and same-y, reinvigorate the marketing and spice things up a bit. 

Make the most of the summer weather with new sunny photographs, and perhaps consider staging some areas of the property for the images. And, if the price is a little high compared to other properties that have already sold, maybe an adjustment will help you achieve a sale.

Inactivity is the worst thing you can do when a property is not selling. Doing nothing will certainly not encourage a sale and will result in… well, nothing. Be proactive and change things up, and you will be negotiating offers in no time. 

After sitting on the market for too long last year, the owners of this breath-taking family home in Ascot recognised the need for a new and more dedicated estate agent. Through our innovative marketing approach and sheer determination, Fisher & Partners successfully sold it in less than six weeks on the market.

To find out how we could help you sell if you are stuck in a rut, we would be delighted to help you so please get in touch.

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Don’t make an offer before asking the estate agent these top 5 questions

Questions for your agent

If you are looking to buy a property make sure you ask these questions before you make an offer – you could uncover valuable information that can help you with your negotiation.

The average buyer will spend just 30 minutes in a property before deciding to make an offer. This decision will likely be made very quickly too, particularly in the busy market we’ve had over the last few years. A delay of a few days whilst you make your decision would likely result in disappointment because the property would probably have been sold by then. 

30 minutes. The length of a sitcom TV show. It is hardly any time at all, and in that short time, we are making life-changing decisions to uproot our family and move our whole lives into a different property, possibly even a new location. And we are taking just that short 30-minute viewing to decide to spend the most amount of money we will probably ever spend on a single purchase in our lives. 

When you think about it, it is crazy that we make such impactful decisions so quickly. And really, we need to make those 30 minutes count. We need to ensure that we have gathered as much information as possible to make an informed decision because it will need to be quick. 

So, the next time you view a property, ask these questions and note the answers to gather critical information to help you decide whether to make an offer. If you do, it will undoubtedly help with the negotiation process. 

Have there been any other offers?

The price of any other offers and the buying circumstances of the offeror is confidential; the agent will not be able to disclose this. But, by asking this question, you will be able to find out if any offers are currently being negotiated, i.e., competition for you to buy. This will somewhat lessen your negotiation power, and you might want to make your initial offer slightly higher.

What is the timescale of the sellers?

If the sellers are looking for a speedy sale, and you can accommodate this, your offer will look favourable. Conversely, if you have a tight deadline and the sellers are not in a rush, this could affect you negatively, and you might decide that this property isn’t for you after all.

Have they already found a property to buy?

This question also speaks to the question of timescale, as a seller who has already found their next home will likely want to move quickly. 

Have any other sales fallen through?

Asking about previous sales can indicate the seller’s actual value and negotiation; for example, they may have negotiated their price before or achieved the asking price and would be looking for that same offer again. It can also raise critical questions about the building and whether there was a defect of some kind that caused the sale to collapse. If yes, was a survey carried out? And if so, what were the findings? – You will not be given a copy of a past survey as the report belongs to whoever commissioned it, but the agents will be able to tell you what, if anything, that report highlighted (providing that they were shown the copy, of course).

Are the sellers negotiable on the price?

It seems obvious, but you’d be surprised how many negotiations begin without anyone asking this question. It helps you gauge the sellers’ expectations; therefore, you won’t offer too high or so low that you insult them. If the price is the price and the seller won’t budge, they will not take your offer seriously if you start at £50k below the asking price. But also, you don’t want to offer the full asking price if there is a chance you could buy it cheaper, do you? Asking about the sellers’ negotiability will tell you about their expectations, and therefore your negotiation process will go smoothly with more chance of success.

When you are only really spending 30 minutes in the property, you must ensure that every second counts and that you are on a fact-finding mission to gather as much information as possible before committing to making an offer.

Register for our HEADS UP alerts to find the next home for your family to ensure that you are one of the first to know about a new property in the market.

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Transform Your Outdoor Space Into an Oasis and Boost Your Property Value This Summer

prepare your garden for sale

If you’re considering marketing your property for sale this summer, it’s crucial to showcase not just the interior but also the outdoor space to maximise the value of your home.

Here in beautiful Berkshire, we cherish every fleeting moment of British summertime, seizing those precious warm days whenever they grace us. That’s why buyers often prioritise knowing when the sun graces the garden. The orientation of your garden can be a captivating selling feature, especially if it faces south, ensuring abundant sunlight throughout the day.

But that’s just the beginning of the story. There are countless other ways to effectively market the outdoor space of your home to captivate potential buyers. Even if you don’t have a lush south-facing garden, you shouldn’t overlook its potential or fail to mention it. Instead, let’s explore innovative strategies to highlight its unique qualities and make it an irresistible part of your property’s appeal.

When you try to sell your home, particularly in the warmer months of the year, the outside space is critical. So, how best should you show off your garden space when selling the property?

Follow the Sun

Place your seating areas around the garden in prime sunny spots. This could mean that you have an area that catches the morning sun, a lovely place to enjoy a peaceful morning coffee with nothing but the birds for company. And perhaps there is an area that gets the last of the sun as it sets in the evening, perfect for a crisp drink at the end of the day. And then maybe there is a decking or patio area that is a little more shaded for al fresco lunches.

Set up your spaces with seating and furniture to show the area’s flexibility and hint at the kind of lifestyle the buyer could have with this garden if they bought your property.

Nice and Tidy

A tidy garden will look bigger and more inviting. If you have flower beds, keep them weed free, the grass cut short, and bushes and trees trimmed and pruned. You want your garden to be instantly usable, not to look like a colossal task a new owner must tackle before they can enjoy it. 

If you need assistance transforming your outdoor space, we highly recommend the team at Zutshi Landscaping. We can also recommend a variety of gardeners, tree surgeons, and more to help you prepare your outdoor space for sale.

Consider Zoning

Make it clear that there are areas for different activities. A BBQ area with a table and chairs for enjoying a meal outdoors. A sunbathing area that gets the best of the sun throughout the day. A kid’s corner where they can play and their outdoor toys are kept. If you have a veg plot, make sure it looks like a veg plot and is not overgrown and messy or filled with toys.

Seating areas, dining space, and room to play are the start of a wonderful sunny weekend with friends and family enjoying a BBQ. We all know it is a bit cliche that in the UK, the first sign of a slightly warm day and we all rush to have a BBQ, so you can almost guarantee that this will be something your buyers will be considering. By presenting your garden in this way, a buyer can quickly see that there will be sun in the garden, and they can enjoy the space as they imagine. Make the task easy for them by showing how you use the space clearly; they won’t even mind if the garden is not facing south. 

We like to take it a step further and stage the garden for photoshoots and viewings – perhaps a jug of iced water and some glasses on the table or a BBQ in full swing, to invoke the memories that your buyers will have of their own happy summer days and encourage them to imagine what those days could be like in your property. Being able to imagine living in a property is the first step towards making an offer, after all.

If you are considering selling your home this summer, don’t delay. Get in touch with the Managing Partner for your area before the summer is over, and it’s time to dig out our winter coats again. 

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Ask the right questions when viewing a property.

questions to ask homeowners

When searching for a new home, most of us will create a shortlist of properties that interest us and arrange to view them. But what should you do at the viewing appointment? 

Of course, you must look at the property and decide if you like it and want to buy it. Could you see yourself living there? But this is just the tip of the iceberg. There are crucial pieces of information that, if you know the answers, can assist with your offering process. Ironing out those questions at the viewing appointment makes sense to ensure that you are armed with all of the information before making any decisions or offers. 

These 13 questions are essential to ask; the answers will help you shape a sensible offer and negotiate effectively.

Why is the owner selling?

Often, this will be due to personal reasons, whether a relocation for work, more space needed for a growing family or perhaps a downsize. It is an excellent question to ask to understand the sellers’ motivations.

How long has the property been on the market?

The longer a property stays on the market, the more questions will be raised about it. Is there a reason that no one has offered on it yet? Perhaps you could put in a slightly lower offer?

What price is the seller looking for?

You will often find that the marketing price and the selling price of a property are different. Whilst you will probably not be given a figure that the seller will definitely accept, you may be able to find out how negotiable the sellers are.

Have the sellers already found a new home?

This question will tell you about the timescale of the sellers. It will also tell you if there is time pressure for the sale to complete, which is essential for you to know and ensure that your timescales match up. Is there an urgency for them to achieve a sale before they miss out on the property of their dreams? Is there room for negotiation because they are in a rush?

Is there a chain?

If the sellers have already decided on a property to buy, there may be a chain. The more parties involved in a chain, the more complicated the property transaction and legal process might be, which could impact the timescale.

Have there been any offers?

The actual figure of any offers that have been made before is confidential, but it can be helpful to know that there has been other interest so that you can gauge where to pitch your first offer.

Have any significant renovations been made by the owners?

If an offer is accepted, you will need paperwork to prove that any significant works were signed off properly. This is useful to discuss at this stage so you know beforehand before making an offer, as it can cause delays with the solicitors later.

What is included in the sale?

Items can sometimes be included in the sale or negotiated separately. Knowing what is included with the price will allow you to fully negotiate a deal to include other items you may be interested in.

Have there been any surveys?

Whilst the copy of the survey report will most likely not be available for you to read as it belongs to the person who paid for it, the estate agents will be able to tell you if the survey results caused a previous sale to fall through. 

Listed/conservation

There are finer details that could impact your life in the property, so it is critical to find out beforehand. If the property, or any part of it, is listed or in a conservation area, this will impact what you can do to the property after buying it. And in our area, its good to ask about any Tree Protection Orders (TPOs) for large trees on the property.

School catchments

If you already have school-age children or are thinking about starting a family, the school catchment area will be vital information for you. Families have moved house altogether to get their children into the school of their choice. We’re very fortunate to have many excellent schools in the neighbourhood, both state and independent.

Transport links

If you have to commute to work, the time it will take you and the convenience of the transport links will soon be significant to you. Adding an extra 30 minutes to your commute will cost you 5 hours of free time each week! And if you have to cross a busy junction or the traffic is renowned for congestion, you may lose even more time. 

Tenure

If the property is freehold, you are offering to buy the property and the ground it sits on. But if there is a flying freehold or a lease of some kind, then you will be bound by the terms for the duration of your time at the property. You will need to know the details – the length of the remaining period, the cost of the ground rent, and any prohibitive regulations will all impact your ownership of the property. 

The answers to these questions will help you understand the market, the seller’s urgency, and your potential negotiation power, enabling you to make a good offer that is more likely to be accepted. 

All of this will help you build a complete picture of the property, which goes much deeper than a simple viewing where you will only be decided based on the surface-level interest in the property’s general appearance. It’s a bit like having a blind date and deciding to marry that person without getting to know them first.

If you’re thinking about moving, sign up for our property alerts to be notified of new listings before they hit the portals. Or reach out to the Managing Partner for your area to discuss your wish list for a new home. We’d be delighted to help.

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Can the interior design choices you make affect the value of your property?

Interior Design Choices

Our homes are our castles, and we like nothing more than styling and personalising them to our own tastes. DIY is a huge business in the UK, and almost all of us have an ongoing project, improving or changing some aspect of our home, changing wallpaper, paint colours, or maybe even tiles and flooring. But how much could this DIY obsession affect the value of our home?

Interior design is a huge industry; from bespoke interiors to magazines showcasing beautiful homes, there is a fascination with interior design, and trends seem to change dramatically as the years go by – who remembers those floral chintz sofas from the 80s?

As trends change with the seasons, new styles and colour schemes increase and decrease in popularity. One moment we’re all painting our homes white and grey, and the next, we’re buying vibrant jungle-themed wallpaper. But is there a point when your personal style will begin to have an impact on the value of your home? Could a wallpaper pattern really decrease your home’s value? 

The interior of a home can make or break a sale. If you are too ‘out there,’ you may put buyers off. Or at least have to pinpoint the exact buyer who is a) looking to buy a property, b) is looking to buy a property the size, style and location of yours, c) at your asking price, and finally, d) with your exact taste in interiors. That is quite a lot of factors to find a buyer for your home, isn’t it?

A manor house would be lovely to buy but imagine the entire interior is bright red, filled with gold-plated fittings, frilly furniture, tasselled lampshades and taxidermy on every shelf. Would you pay the asking price? Or would you make a lower offer because you’d have to arrange for the decorators to come as soon as you completed the purchase? Unless, of course, you happen to like that sort of thing. 

Retro interiors, particularly from the 60s and 70s, are often very popular as long as it’s a nod to the era and not an exact replica. The idea is to incorporate hints into the property from that time, not turn your home into a museum. Avocado bathroom suites might be coming back into fashion, but it could be more likely to put a buyer off. 

Minimalist styles tend to work best and could be the perfect solution to selling your home for the highest possible price. Simple, clean and tidy, a minimalist interior would likely feel empty and sparse to the owner of the red taxidermy house. However, it is most likely to appeal to the largest number of would-be buyers, which is the key when selling your home. 

Scandi interiors are ever-popular for this very reason. It is a simple style without any overbearing patterns or colour schemes to put anyone off. And rather than dull and clinical, there are often pops of colour to create interest and add cosiness to the property.

In an ideal world, your home will attract many buyers with multiple offers, increasing the demand and, therefore, the value. If your home is so quirky that you really have to find the one buyer that will like it, there is limited demand, which could affect the value negatively. 

So, by all means, personalise your homes, but if your taste is very quirky, would you be better off toning that down a little when you decide to sell? 

If you are thinking of selling your home, get in touch with the Managing Partner for your area to arrange a valuation today, or start with a very quick online valuation to see your property’s current market potential.

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When selling a property, is it essential to have printed brochures?

property brochure

99% of Property searchers will start their search for a property online. It is convenient and time-saving, not to mention far more enjoyable, to search for a new home whilst sitting on your sofa instead of trailing around the town centre visiting different agent’s offices. 

The purpose of a property brochure is to showcase the property and its features and benefits. This is still important, only now it needs to be online. Because of this need to prepare an online presence for each property, agents can utilise many more tools and strategies to sell properties than simply a printed brochure.

From high-quality presented video walk-throughs like mini tv shows to a virtual tour that allows the viewer to view the property as often as they like, technology has come so far that there are many ways to market a property sale now.

But, a brochure is still needed; it is just not required to be printed. Digital downloads of brochures will allow buyers to see the property from home without harming the planet and filling up the recycling boxes. 

To promote a property for sale, there must be some marketing materials that can be easily emailed to potential buyers. The extent of this marketing material depends on the agent and the seller, but something must be produced to showcase the property. 

You need some way to show the interior, layout and the property’s main features to entice potential buyers and encourage them to view. Using either a floorplan or a virtual tour to show the layout and images or a video to show the interior style and size of the property. The written description is where you can sell the lifestyle, describing the property in a way to promote the best features of the property. The wording works particularly well when you want to highlight an element of interest in the property but is not seasonal. For example, Christmas dinner/Christmas morning, but you’re trying to sell your home in summer. Or summer BBQs when you’re trying to sell your house in winter. 

Although, likely, printed brochures are not going to be made any more – after all, they are expensive, bad for the planet, and end up in the recycling bin more often than not – a digital brochure will still be created to showcase your property in all it’s glory. 

The content of that brochure will need to have written descriptions that showcase your home and encourage searchers to come and view it. It will also have beautiful images so searchers can see the property and be excited about the real-life viewing. 

But, consider for a moment that rather than simply writing a list of rooms and measurements, and rather than mentioning where every plug socket and tv point is, use the brochure to tantalise the tastebuds of the property searchers. 

Show the viewers about their future in the property and the memories that they will make. Encourage them to view rather than hit them with a list of facts about the house. Sell the lifestyle your property will allow them to have and showcase how it will be the best for family parties, summer BBQs or Christmas morning. These are occasions throughout every year that homeowners will want to host or arrange, and you can show them that your home would be perfect for them.

Of course, no one will buy a property because it is quite good for BBQs, but if your home ticks every other box, it could be enough to push them into offering on your home rather than someone else’s that they may have on their shortlist. 

There are ways to promote a property without creating a brochure, such as a video walk-through presented by the agent in a TV style to allow the agent to highlight all of those features. Still, a viewer will not watch a 30-minute presentation video. So, a combination of video, floorplans, images, and great words all work together to market a property in the best way possible. 

Fisher & Partners is transforming the way property is sold. We invest heavily in videography and digital marketing of our homes to ensure that potential homeowners are able to get a sense of how it would feel for them to live in your home. Since you work with a managing partner from start to finish, you can ensure the features and benefits of your home are showcased effectively. If you’re considering listing your home on the market, we’d be delighted to give you a current market appraisal and discuss our services.

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Are You a Homeowner With Pets and Planning to Sell your Property?

sunningdale with pets

Sunningdale and its neighbouring villages are renowned for being pet-friendly communities. Your furry friends are an essential part of your family and homes. However, when it comes to selling your property, it’s important to consider how your pets may impact the process. We’ve compiled a list of tips to help you navigate selling your home while managing your beloved pets.

Prepare for Viewings with Care

While it’s not always practical to remove your pets from your home, it’s ideal to have them out of the way during viewings. If you have dogs, arrange for a family member or friend to take them for a short walk or have them safely secured in the car during the viewing appointments. This allows potential buyers to focus on the unique features of your home without distractions.

Conceal Bowls and Bedding

During viewings, it’s best to hide your pets’ food and water bowls, as well as their bedding. These items are not selling features and may not make a positive impression on buyers, regardless of their love for animals. Store these temporarily in a cupboard, the garage, shed, or even your car while the viewings take place. Once the potential buyers have left, you can bring back your pets and their belongings.

Create an Inviting Environment

Before each viewing, take the time to freshen up your home. As Sunningdale residents know, our noses can become accustomed to familiar scents. Open the windows to let in fresh air and consider using air fresheners or scented candles to give your home a pleasant aroma. Opt for popular scents like vanilla or explore floral options for a refreshing spring atmosphere. Clean scents like linen or relaxing lavender can also create a welcoming ambiance. By appealing to buyers’ senses, you increase the likelihood of leaving a positive impression.

At Fisher & Partners, we understand the unique challenges of selling a home with pets. Our Managing Partners are ready to provide you with accurate valuations and expert advice to maximise your property’s potential. Get started by requesting a free, no-obligation online valuation or reach out to our team today.