Spring is a great time to sell a home because the buds are budding, gardens are blooming, and a little sunshine brightens everyone’s home. Furthermore, buyers have traditionally begun their home search in the spring, and property portals confirm that this is still the case today.
If you are considering selling your home or if your home is currently on the market, you may have some questions about how to make your move a success. Here are some of the questions we get asked at Bees Homes this time of year:
“My house has been on the market since the winter, and now that my garden is blooming, should I have new photos taken?”
Winter garden photos can be a little sad. Buyers may be put off by bare trees and shrubs, bare earth, and leaf-covered, muddy lawns. So, as your garden begins to bloom, it’s a good idea to have some new and colourful photos taken to show potential buyers. At Bees Homes, we provide free new foliage images to our clients in order to keep their online images as current and appealing as possible. Why not ask your agent to do the same?
“How soon should I expect to be moved once I get an offer?”
The current national time from accepting an offer to handing over the keys is around 12 weeks, but this can vary greatly depending on your buyer’s position, the amount of financing required, any complications with your sale, and much more. If you have a simple sale with no chain and your buyer does not require a mortgage, you should be moved by the summer, or within 8/10 weeks. Any complications or chain delays can more than double this, so consult with a professional about your specific situation. We are always happy to provide timelines and expectations. Just give us a call at 01323 332344 and we’ll talk.
“I’m not sure how I’m going to keep my house clean over the Easter holidays!” Should I step away from the market?”
We feel your anguish! Selling a house when your children are out of school is never easy, but there are some things you can do to make your viewings more successful and stress-free:
- Encourage (bribe) your children to keep their rooms tidy. Daily inspections with reward stickers for younger children and cash for older adolescents usually suffice.
- Keep the kids out of the house as much as possible to keep it cleaner!
- If you have an upcoming viewing, ordering takeaway or eating out will save you from having to clean your kitchen.
- If you have viewings scheduled, resist the urge to do ‘messy’ playtime with the kids – no finger painting, Play-doh, or baking!
- Make sure you’re out of the house for viewings so you don’t feel stressed – feeling obligated to have perfectly behaved children will not result in an enjoyable viewing for you or your buyers!
- Tell your agent if you have a full house and would prefer not to deal with viewings during the school holidays. They’ll understand if you want to skip the market until the kids return to school.
“I’m thinking about relocating; is now a good time?”
What a great question! We’re sure you’ve heard that it’s a “seller’s market” right now, and has been since the Pandemic began. However, things are beginning to change. More homes on the market means more competition for buyers, which causes house prices to fall and we believe the days of extreme scarcity are over. What does this mean if you’re thinking about selling? Whatever your situation, selling now while the market is still at a good level will result in a more predictable sale price than waiting until next year and facing an unknown property market.
“What are the majority of buyers looking for right now?”
Some homes are inherently more in demand than others; our buyers are looking for specific features, such as work-from-home space, and frequently want a home with expansion potential. Bungalows and homes with land seem to always be in high demand. Whatever your home has to offer, we’d love to talk with you and see if we have any buyers registered who are looking for a home like yours. To get started, give us a call at 01323 332344 or send me an email at info@beeshomes.com.
“I thought this was supposed to be a seller’s market, but my house hasn’t gotten much attention.” “What should I do?”
It’s extremely disheartening when you’re eager to put your house on the market and no one appears to be interested. Particularly if nearby properties are selling quickly. Presentation, price, and promotion are the three key drivers of any successful property sale: how well your home is presented to the market, and whether it competes on how modern rooms like its kitchens and bathrooms are; whether the price is competitive and not overly optimistic; and finally, but probably most importantly, how your home is marketed. The images, written description and brochure are more important than most people assume, and just improving them can have a dramatic impact on how much interest a home receives. We’ve taken on, styled them and changed the photography, and sold them straight away without changing the price at all and at times increased it! So if you’re not sure if your marketing is really showcasing your home, we’ll be frank, and tell you honestly if it is. Send me a link to your home at info@beeshomes.com and I’ll tell you how you can improve your marketing and attract the right buyer.
“Our garden is lovely, but it’s still a little muddy.” “Can we ask visitors to remove their shoes before viewing our home?”
Yes! We always remove our shoes before entering a home, and we expect the viewers to do the same. Carpets with muddy footprints are unappealing to buyers, so let’s keep yours clean!
We’d love to help you if you have any questions about any of the points raised in this article, or if you’d just like a friendly, no-strings-attached chat about your house sale. Call me at 01323 332344, email me at info@beeshomes.com, or text me at 07960 498963 to get started.
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