Mistakes not to make when selling a house

Anyone selling a property wants to see their home move quickly. But sellers' own actions often prevent this from happening, claim property experts.

NAEA Propertymark reveals the most common mistakes made by sellers, that can affect their sale...

Overpricing

The first thing your buyer sees is the price. An overpriced property could deter anyone from arranging a viewing and making an offer. Seek the help of a professional estate agent who will use their expertise about the local market to give you a fair price.

It’s worth doing your own research too – what are other properties in your neighbourhood being marketed for? What does your home offer that others in the area don’t? Be realistic.

Preparing your home

While your house is on the market keep it clean and tidy; a cluttered home is an immediate turn off for buyers. If there’s too much furniture, or tiems such as children’s toys and unused gym equipment lying around, it can make the property feel smaller.

Photographs

When it comes to selling a property, a picture really is worth a thousand words. With more buyers searching online, great photos are a must. Avoid photos with bad lighting or any of poor quality. Your estate agent should take professional standard photos to help market your home, so make sure the property is looking its best.

Too much personality

It’s important that your home doesn’t feel over-personalised. People have varied taste and future buyers need to be able to see themselves living there with all their possessions. Family portraits, keepsakes and loud colour schemes can distract buyers from seeing your property’s full potential.

Choosing the wrong estate agent

Choosing the right estate agent is critical to the success of your property’s sale. By working with a Propertymark Protected agent, you can be sure of working with a professional agent who complies with a strict code of conduct, follows industry best practice and has voluntarily chosen to be regulated in an unregulated industry. You can find a local one on the NAEA Propertymark Protected website.

Mark Hayard, chief executive of NAEA Propertymark said: “The initial excitement you feel after putting up a ‘for sale’ sign can quickly be replaced by frustration if months go by and you still haven’t had an offer on your home.

"Most of the time,, there are small things you can do to improve the saleability of your property and by avoiding the common pitfalls, you should hope to maximise your profits and sell your house quickly.”