Preparing your property For Sale
by Chris Campbell – Staff Writer
Provide fresh linens and the aroma of freshly brewed coffee to arouse the association of a comfortable home in the mind of your potential buyer! ….. Yes, ummm well, that might not do any harm, but there are other practical tips and suggestions worth considering to help create a good impression for any potential buyers. Many of the suggestions may not specifically apply to properties outside of the tropics but the principles are similar for preparing any property for sale.
The three main tasks which present themselves to owners looking to sell their property in order of importance are :-
- Letting people know your property is For Sale
- Attracting buyers to come and view it
- Persuading those who view to buy
The first task can be covered by advertising on websites such as this one! We can place your property in front of buyers contemplating a purchase of a wide variety of properties for an equally wide variety of purposes. While we can’t guarantee immediate results, we do increase the chance of a sale significantly by offering the opportunity of matching what you have to sell with what someone is looking to buy.
The second task can also be addressed by advertising with us. Despite what is often thought, few items For Sale can sell themselves. A good listing Ad may also not guarantee everyone who reads it will want to come and see it in person, but a bad one can certainly put people off from doing so. For international real estate, the listing Ad is even more crucial, as viewing a property is usually not quite as simple as packing a picnic and driving south for a couple of hours.
For international real estate, the listing Ad is even more crucial, as viewing a property is usually not quite as simple as packing a picnic and driving south for a couple of hours
Buyers want information presented clearly and professionally. They want the pertinent facts to hand and not need to have to request them, and they want good quality photos to verify what they have been told in the text. Viewing an international property requires a substantial commitment in time and effort on the part of the buyer. They may decide to make a special trip or plan a holiday around a viewing, so the more confident they are with what the property represents beforehand, the keener they will be to come and see it.
The third task to a greater or lesser extent, is a little more subjective, a little less rational and the main focus of this article. As soon as you make the decision to sell your home, you’ll need to decide who will show your property to any interested buyers? If you have a Realtor contracted on a fixed fee, they will probably conduct any showings. If you are in-country and prefer to handle the process personally, you might choose do them, in which case, here are some suggestions to make the task easier and ultimately more successful.
Ask any real estate professional and most will tell you “never show a property you own, especially your home”. It’s human nature to create an emotional attachment to your own property that can make one apologetic of its flaws and sensitive to any criticisms. When showing a property, there is only one person whose thoughts, concerns, prejudices, likes, dislikes and emotional responses matter – and it isn’t yours! The task is to present the property – not your emotional attachment to it.
… present the property – not your emotional attachment to it
With this in mind there are two aspects to consider:
- How to prepare the property for showing?
- How to deal with buyers when showing a property?
Let’s consider the first. Except in special circumstances, it’s worth considering only allowing viewings by arrangement several days in advance. This gives you time to prepare, and while a buyer turning up on an hour’s notice with a suitcase full of money is a possibility; in reality, it really doesn’t happen as often as the storytellers would have you believe.
So how do you prepare your property for a viewing?
While you may have become oblivious to to the point of accepting, the rusty refrigerator in your yard, the gutter which came loose 12 months ago, or your dog jumping up and licking you on the mouth – your buyer won’t. Repair the eye-catching simple things, clear out the mess from your yard or the approach to your property, cut the grass, cut your neighbors grass too, if they are visibly adjacent, rake up the leaves and even give your house a fresh coat of paint.
First impressions count and as the saying goes, you never get a second chance to make a first impression!
If you have a raw land property for sale and there is something of interest on it; an old Maya mound, a particularly nice view, some special trees etc, get a trail cut ahead of time, so you can take your buyer there to see it. Don’t bulldoze a road, clear cutting the natural vegetation en route, just make it adequate so your buyer can get to see the inherent potential of your property.
If you’re selling a commercial business, schedule the viewing for a time of day or week when you expect to be most busy. Give your business sign a makeover anywhere it appears in the locale. Make sure someone can run things without interrupting you every 5 minutes with questions while you show your buyer around. If you have uniformed staff, make sure their uniforms are in good condition. This will give a good impression of the strength of the business and its organization.
If there are homes or residences to be inspected, clear away the multiple pairs of sandals at the entrance, the empty beer bottles and overflowing ashtrays. Tidy the place up overall. If you have them, keep family photos on display in one room only not all over the place. Try and de-personalize the property so a buyer can visualize the place as their home rather than yours.
… de-personalize the property so a buyer can visualize the place as their home rather than yours
Do not insecticide the interior an hour before your buyer is due to arrive. The smell will linger and so will the doubt as to why you needed to spray in the first place. Clean up visible gecko poop; sure, your buyer will have their own on a regular basis once they buy your property, but for now, give them the impression gecko’s are cute and don’t make a mess. If you have pets that like to greet you excitedly, tie them up – not everyone loves animals and being molested by them. If you have caged animals – hide them. You are more likely to alienate a buyer by having them visible than you are likely to endear one into thinking you are cool for having a pet monkey.
… give them the impression gecko’s are cute and don’t make a mess
If you allow animals into your house, or you smoke inside, realize that there IS a distinctive smell, associated with doing so, even if you can’t notice it anymore. While it’s currently your home to do as you please, you are trying to convince someone else to buy it from you, so air it out well ahead of time, bring in fresh flowers and open all the windows to make sure it is as airy as possible.
Make sure the kitchen and the bathroom are as clean as you can possibly make them. Scrub the shower, make sure the toilet is spotless and if you do nothing else, empty the bin full of used toilet paper next to the toilet. It may be a necessity of local plumbing but if you’re not used to the idea as your buyer may not, it can appear to be a rather odd habit.
if you’re not used to the idea as your buyer may not, it can appear to be a rather odd habit
If you have nearby neighbors that like to burn the plastic from the trash, play loud music, or indulge in any potentially unappealing activities, ask them politely if they could resist for the few hours of your showing – if that fails, attempt bribery to achieve the desired result!
So visually, your property for sale is looking sharp, well ordered and inviting. How do you actually deal with your buyer?
There are many schools of thought as to which is the best way to handle the situation and close a sale, though most professionals will each have their own method and tell you it depends for the most part on the circumstances. Certain general rules do apply and as an owner showing your property yourself, it is even more important to stay focused and follow them.
If you’re handling your own sale it’s your responsibility to look professional. Even if a You Know You Want Me T shirt constitutes your normal attire, would you consider buying a property from a person that wears one while showing a buyer around? Dress smartly but casually and pay attention to your personal grooming.
As you tour the property with your buyer, don’t highlight problems while making excuses for them. Simple things may not even be noticed, so needlessly drawing attention to them serves no purpose. If there is something substantially wrong with the property, don’t try to hide it. Discuss it openly and explain how this has already been mitigated in the price – it has been mitigated in the price hasn’t it?
… don’t highlight problems while making excuses for them
If your buyer highlights something that they think is wrong, don’t get into an argument with them if you think it isn’t. Listen to what they have to say and if there is an overriding reason for it to be the way it is, tell them, but don’t make excuses or make them feel they are being unreasonable. If the buyer asks you a question and you don’t know the answer, don’t waffle or make one up. Just tell them you don’t know but will find out and get back to them as soon after their visit as possible.
If a couple have come to view your property, don’t alienate the partner you feel less inclined toward by focusing your efforts on the other – you may be alienating the partner that will ultimately make the decision to buy, despite what the dynamic between them may suggest.
After a viewing, it’s considered courteous to provide a cold drink in a quiet area to allow the opportunity to discuss any items. Getting a buyer drunk is not usually going to make them more likely to buy your property. Don’t expect someone to make a decision or even show a great deal of interest at this stage. Some people need to go away and discuss the matter privately between themselves before deciding to proceed or not.
Getting a buyer drunk is not usually going to make them more likely to buy your property
At this stage don’t be too pushy. There is a fine line between gentle persuasion and appearing desperate to sell. On the other hand, some buyers expect to secure terms straight away. If this is the case, don’t waste it. Have in your mind beforehand the lowest amount you will accept for the property. If you can agree a price with your buyer at this stage, close the deal immediately. Have a copy of a purchase agreement to hand which you complete and get the buyer to sign. Get a deposit check and give them a receipt!
There is a fine line between gentle persuasion and appearing desperate to sell
If it seems like your buyer is not going to be want to buy, don’t hurry them along or be rude. For every genuine person that comes to look at your property, they may know others whose requirements might fit more closely with what your property is offering. A first hand recommendation is always an advantage, so don’t waste the opportunity for a referral even if this particular buyer is not going to follow through.
Never feel despondent if your buyer decides not to buy. It’s however, very important to review anything they may have said as to the reason why they’ve chosen not to proceed. Ask yourself whether their concerns are justified. Is the price too high? Are you misrepresenting something in your advertisement? Finding a buyer is often a process of fine-tuning your advertisement to accurately represent what the property offers, putting it in front of people who are likely to be interested and then being patient.
Never feel despondent if your buyer decides not to buy
In the meantime, while you’re waiting, and assuming you incorporated certain standard wisdom into your approach, you can at least enjoy good coffee, clean sheets, happy neighbors, cute, but messy geckos and a happy dog.
Life is good. Perhaps you should reconsider selling after all?
