Selling 101

When’s the best time to sell?
There’s certainly no hard-and-fast rule about when the best time to sell a property is. There are, however, periods that have a lot more activity than others. In Fulham and the rest of SW6, there’s a definite hot spot running from the end of January through to March, with February and March being particularly busy for the larger properties as it’s bonus season in the City. The bankers may not receive their money until halfway through the year, but that’s when it will get spent. April is quiet, before picking up again in May, June and July. August is dead due to Summer holidays. September and October are very busy, and then everything begins to slow down through November and dies again in December.

How much should you price your property at?
In a competitive market, what’s the best way for you to maximize your sale? Well, sadly, and this isn’t very sexy, you have to be realistic. People are not stupid, and neither are you, so no matter how beautifully you think you’ve renovated your kitchen, don’t get ideas above your station. It sounds simple, but go and take a look around similar houses that are already on the market. Look at how they’re finished, the size and if any major projects will need to be undertaken in the future. Look at what sold recently and for how much. As a guide, many estate agents work off a pounds-per-square-foot price, and it’s a very clear and concise way for you to understand what you’re selling in a wider context. Pricing is a touchy subject and it can be hard to view your home as a product on a market but this is the reality and often, despite your nerves, a clever (read cheaper) pricing strategy will ultimately yield the highest sale price.

To dress or not to dress
Exercise caution when marketing your property, both in person and in listings. In reality, the smell of baking bread and freshly ground coffee isn’t going to sway someone’s decision about buying a £2 million pound property. But a clean, tidy and bright home will benefit during viewings and in photographs. A lick of paint to cover those tire or paw marks on the hallway wall, a scorched earth policy on abandoned children’s toys are all important, but there’s no need to turn your kitchen into The Great British Bake-Off. If your property is empty, however, then you absolutely need to provide some furniture – potential buyers need to see a home, not a showroom. So some clever dressing can give them an idea of what it will be like when they’re own belongings are inside. Enforce a light touch and use your common sense, nothing too garish, nothing too bland, and think about lighting to create a homely atmosphere.

“a scorched earth policy on abandoned children’s toys are all important, but there’s no need to turn your kitchen into The Great British Bake-Off”

Who do you sell to?
So everything has gone brilliantly and you now find your self in the privileged, although not uncommon, position of having multiple offers on your property. So who do you choose? Well, and you’ll have to bare with us here, the first thing to say is the person who offers the highest price is not always the best. Are they in a chain? How are they financed? Are they first time buyers who might get itchy feet? Cash buyers are obviously the best, but if your potential buyers are raising a mortgage then it’s good practice to ask to see a mortgage ‘in principle’ letter from their lender. Good luck!