Hoping to sell your home soon? Well, you might want to research what buyers are looking for in a property first.
New trends in the housing market have emerged during lockdown, with many movers keen to make lifestyle changes.
With this in mind, Sam Mitchell, CEO of online estate agent Strike, is here to help advise sellers on small changes they could make to boost their chances of making a sale.
These are the five things he says buyers are looking for…
1. More space
According to a recent survey of movers from Strike, wanting a bigger home is the number one reason people move.
To showcase what your place can offer, it’s a good idea to strip away some of your furniture where you can, so clutter is minimal and rooms look tidy. It will help buyers understand how a space will work for them.
2. Homeworking opportunities
Many people are likely to spend more time working from home in the future, even after pandemic restrictions have lifted.
Previous research by Strike found not having an office space at home has become a deal-breaker for a quarter of prospective buyers.
You don’t always need a separate room to create an office space. You could consider how a room could be rearranged to allow space for a desk, for example.
3. Green space
Strike sales data suggests there’s been an uplift in people looking to move from urban to rural areas in the past year.
While you can’t physically pick up your home and move it to the countryside if you’re based in a city, there may be surroundings, such as attractive nearby parks or other amenities, that you can highlight.
If you are in the countryside, highlight any good transport links and estimated travel times.
4. Outdoor impressions
Four in 10 buyers say they are moving for a bigger garden or outside space, so make sure yours is in tip-top shape. Even raking leaves off the grass will instantly give the space a cleaner look.
5. Online impact
Making your property stand out online is essential, as many potential buyers will use virtual viewings.
Strike’s recent research found that 51 per cent of movers want agents to make it easy to do viewings online. You can do a lot with Zoom, WhatsApp, Skype, and all of the other video calling software we’ve become so familiar with over the past year.
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