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ADVICE<br />
13<br />
Top tips for selling<br />
your home this summer<br />
NAEA <strong>Property</strong>mark offers advice for sellers putting their property on the market this summer.<br />
The summer can be a tricky time<br />
to sell a property, especially if it’s<br />
a family one, due to the school<br />
summer holidays. NAEA <strong>Property</strong>mark data<br />
shows that during the summer months the<br />
housing market tends to cool down, with<br />
the number of house hunters and properties<br />
available for sale dropping throughout July<br />
and August. While getting ready to put<br />
your home on the market, there are a few<br />
simple things you can do to maximise the<br />
saleability of your property.<br />
Katie Griffin, President, NAEA<br />
<strong>Property</strong>mark says: “If you need to put<br />
your home on the market during the<br />
summer, it’s important to understand your target market and who will be<br />
the most interested in buying your home before you do so. Your local NAEA<br />
<strong>Property</strong>mark estate agent will be able to guide you in the right direction if<br />
you’re unsure and help you put your home on the market at the right time to<br />
increase your chances of a speedy sale.”<br />
NAEA <strong>Property</strong>mark’s five top tips for selling your<br />
home this summer:<br />
Tidy up the exterior<br />
First impressions are key and they really impact a buyer’s decision, so it’s<br />
important to make sure the property looks well maintained and cared for from<br />
the outside, with windows and walls freshly washed to remove any dirt. For<br />
example, a front door can say a lot about the rest of your home for buyers<br />
viewing it for the first time, so a lick of paint or a quick wash down can help<br />
improve the overall look and feel of your property.<br />
Neutral décor<br />
Potential house buyers will have varied<br />
tastes in décor and when they’re looking<br />
around your home they have to be able to<br />
imagine themselves living there. Anything<br />
too over personalised can be a turn off,<br />
so keeping colours neutral will make the<br />
property more appealing.<br />
Prune your garden<br />
A well looked after garden can give<br />
your home the wow-factor, especially<br />
during the summer months when many<br />
beautiful flowers and plants are in season.<br />
For starters, it’s important to make sure your garden is tidied of any litter, the<br />
lawn is mowed, weeds are removed and overgrown trees are cut back and then<br />
if you have the time, try potting some bright coloured plants to make the space<br />
more attractive.<br />
Kitchen makeover<br />
Giving your kitchen a quick freshen up can go a long way. By giving the<br />
cabinets a quick lick of paint, or replacing the doors and handles, the room will<br />
instantly become more attractive to potential buyers.<br />
Let air and light in<br />
Rooms that smell musty are a huge turn off for buyers – it’s important to<br />
open up windows well in advance of any viewings, particularly those in rooms<br />
that are rarely used. It’s crucial to maintain a good level of lighting in your<br />
home to make the space feel inviting - the summer is the best time for natural<br />
light, so make sure all blinds and curtains are wide open.<br />
Advertise your property over the Bridge<br />
At last! The announcement has been made that the price of crossing the Severn Bridges<br />
will be scrapped all together by the end of 2018. With so many buyers expected to move to Monmouthshire<br />
in search of a bargain, choose an agent that advertises on both sides of the Severn.<br />
Archer & Co in Chepstow have been advertising their properties to Bristol-buyers all year. ‘Ever since the<br />
announcement was made that there would be a change to the tolls we have seen a huge increase in the number of<br />
buyers heading over the bridge’ explains Carys Vaughan, sales manager at the Chepstow based estate agents.<br />
‘Now, around one third of our viewers are coming from the other side of the Severn - so we had to adapt our advertising<br />
to follow suit. We added Bristol Life and Bristol <strong>Property</strong> Live to our list of publications and they have both been received<br />
extremely well. When the adverts go out - the phone rings, and we arrange viewings!’.<br />
Choosing an agent who advertises on both sides of the Severn means that your property will be seen by more would-be<br />
buyers, which means that you are more likely to achieve the best possible price when selling.<br />
Archer & Co • 30 High St, Chepstow NP16 5LJ • 01291 626262
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