It never ceases to surprise him, says Sean McCauley, Rawson Properties director responsible for the northern region of SA, how casual certain home sellers can be about the way in which they present their homes to potential buyers.
“They may be quite desperate for a quick sale, he said, “but they fail to appreciate factors that can turn a buyer off in no time at all.”
Sixteen years experience in the marketing of residential property, he said, have shown him that eight points need to be emphasised to a home seller if he is approaching a sale with a sloppy attitude to appearances.
1. The first and probably the most relevant is, at all costs, to avoid hanging around the agent.
“Snoopy sellers,” said McCauley, “tend to think that their presence and additional input will help sell the home. In fact, it can have the opposite effect. They feel they should “walk” the buyer through the house but the buyer may be embarrassed by their presence and feel unable to ask questions about matters which worry him. This means that queries will go unanswered by the agent and could spoil the chance of his selling the home. Buyers should feel free to point out defects and raise objections –but they often cannot do so in the presence of an owner.”
2. Avoid dirt of any kind.
“Everything not clean, whether it be ashtrays, dishes in the sink or on the drying tray, stains on a carpet or on the ceiling are an immediate turnoff,” said McCauley. “Similarly, odours, especially pet smells (to which the owner may well have become accustomed) are also a no-no.” (A recent US survey, he said, showed that nearly 50% of people actually dislike dogs.)
3. Remove old, out of date fixtures.
“No matter how much they are part of your family’s heritage and history or simply dear to you, old furniture and fixtures can detract seriously from the look and impression of a home – they must be removed. Dated ceiling fans, light fixtures and cabinets can put buyers off.”
4. Get rid of wallpaper.
“Today’s buyers in eight cases out of ten do not like wallpaper,” said McCauley. “Even if they do, your choice will probably not be their choice as wallpaper is extremely personalised. Let the rooms be simple with neutral colours.”
5. Avoid having personal items on view.
“It may be of great interest to you that grandpa was a Spitfire pilot (and you have a picture of him in his cockpit) or that you were photographed bungee jumping at Victoria Falls but these things distract the buyer’s attention and possibly prevent him assessing the home. How you decorate to live should be different from how you decorate to sell. It is best to de-personalise rooms.”
6. Do not misrepresent the home in your advertising or any spoken statements prior to the buyer’s visit.
“If a wrong – or too good – picture is painted in advance, the buyer will feel conned and is highly unlikely to react favourably even to the home’s good points,” said McCauley.
7. Pay attention to kerb appeal.
“The impression created by the first view of the home is all-important,” said McCauley. “Paint your fence, trim the hedges, cut back sprawling trees or plant a few flowers on the front verge. In short, do whatever is needed to make an initial good impression.”
8. De-clutter.
“Clutter is endemic in some homes, but it has to be admitted that it is not attractive to anyone with any aesthetic sensibility. It pays, therefore, to de-clutter. Remove – even sell – as much as you can. This will increase the feeling of spaciousness in the home – which is what the majority of upgraders are looking for first and foremost,” said McCauley.
