All London estate agents will tell you they can sell your property, but what should you do if your property hasn’t sold?
After all the expectation and excitement of the big move or realisation of that long-held investment, the disappointment of another viewing and nothing can be difficult to process. The first thing you should realise is, it happens! Sometimes the reasons are totally outside of your or the agent’s control.
Interest rates rise, a recession, a financial crash, an election is called, all these have happened in recent years. It’s a matter of acting swiftly and listening to your agent. Have there been similar comments after a viewing? Perhaps the property is too dark, rooms feel small, or, too expensive. Can you address any of the comments?
Home Staging
If you’re putting your West London property on the market, a savvy real estate tip for a timely sale is home staging. This involves making your property for sale as appealing as possible to potential buyers during property visits or in advertising photos.
Discover our tips on home staging on a minimal budget.
Home staging involves, decluttering, cleaning and sometimes a bit of redecorating. We have all heard of decluttering, and trust us, it works. They allow the rooms to appear as large as possible, and de-personalise the property, allowing potential buyers to connect with it more.
Keeping your London home clean and in good shape is important when looking to sell your property too. Discover 3 overlooked tasks that protect your London Property Investment.
Again, redecorating can make a huge difference too. Maybe you have to consider having some redecoration, this sounds extreme but if spending a few hundred pounds and the return runs into thousands, then it’s worthwhile! Don’t forget to read our tips on how to do this economically.
Pricing
Price is always the thorny issue. Did the agent give you the price and you said can we ask more? Did the agent give you a price, to attract your business, rather than a good reflection of the London market? It’s wise to discuss this at the earliest opportunity, you don’t want to be chasing the market downward, this often leads to a London property being undersold. Better to have a serious discussion and get more opinions. Ask other agents to value your property, get their thoughts on the market. Be realistic, if you want to move, the property has to appeal to the buyers. You may decide to bring in another agent to add some competition.
What’s next?
Once you’ve addressed the common comments from viewings and reviewed the price, you’re ready to relaunch your property. Make sure potential buyers can view your London home easily, after all your hard work and the agents, the last thing a buyer wants to hear is “sorry we can’t do a viewing at that time”. Be flexible, within reason. If someone is ill, let the agent know, so they can deflect enquiries and re-book them for later.
Selling a property is a partnership between the seller and the agent, work together, listen to their advice and be realistic. One of the great advantages of an independent agent like Rickman Properties is that we are not driven by targets, so we don’t lose sight of the fact we want to help you sell, not just get your listing. At the end of the day, we are here to help you move.
If you are stuck and not selling feel free to give us a call on 020 7937 9777 or email us at info@rickmanproperties.com
For further tips and advice, take a look at our recent article advising those who are struggling to sell real estate in London this year.
