Moving Home Advice in Leeds

First Impressions Count

The majority of home buyers will decide within seconds of arriving at the property they are viewing, whether or not they want to proceed with the purchase. This is especially the case if your viewer is an existing homeowner and needs to decide quickly, so they can move forward with the sale of their own property.

Your equity is the amount at which you sell for, minus your current mortgage balance. This will be used to contribute towards a security deposit for the next purchase that you make if you are moving home in Leeds. By utilising savings or a gifted deposit, you are able to top this up.

There is always a very specific minimum amount that the seller of a property is willing to accept for a sale to be agreed. Even still, when you list your home for sale, it is important to market and present your home in the best light possible. This can make a large difference in how quickly you’re able to sell it.

Be Reasonable

Your asking price should always reflect the standard of those in the local area. Be reasonable with the amount you’re looking to sell for, as some estate agents may just suggest the highest possible price without any credibility behind the suggestion.

Nowadays everyone has the ability to advertise on Zoopla and Rightmove, so we would definitely recommend that you make the dive into the market and get as many viewings as you possibly, primarily within the first two weeks of it being listed.

If interest in your property seems to below, it’s probably quite like that the property has been overvalued and the price needs to drop.

Before they look to put their current property on the market, many homeowners prefer to research and visit other properties to identify which one they might call home down the line. If you find yourself in that same or a similar position, here are some helpful tips for you to sell your home as quickly as possible.

Home Selling Tips for Homeowners in Leeds

Attention to Detail

First of all, this can be quite a strange one and quite difficult to do if you’ve spent a long time in there, but you need to look at your own house as if you were viewing it for the first time yourself. Make sure it looks great from the outside, as that’s the first thing people will see when driving or walking up to it.

Simple actions make a big difference, so ensuring you have a freshly jet-washed drive and neatly cut front lawn indicates that you have put a lot of time and effort into looking after your home. You need to aim for that feel-good factor, as this may help the viewer in their hopes that the inside will be just as good as the outside.

Do you have children?

If you have any kids, it is recommended that you tidy away any bikes or loose toys that have been left about in the front garden. Make sure your front door looks clean and well maintained, and that your doorbell (if you have one) works well. Spend a little bit of cash getting a nice new doormat or welcome sign to give it a nice, new home vibe.

Upkeep

Take a look around all of your rooms, paying close attention to rooms like kitchen or bathrooms. You should make sure that they are spotless and have a high level of hygiene. Cupboards and wardrobes should be tidied up, arranged neatly and free from unnecessary clutter.

You should absolutely ensure your home is pristine and clean; this is a very important step to remember! Wash your curtains & blinds, wipe down your walls and clean all your floors and windows. Any repairs that need work should be up-to-date and fixed, and you should put clean bedding out on the beds.

Clean all of your windows, making sure they’re nice and sparkling clean both inside and out. New carpets in smaller rooms can be a reasonably low-cost way of creating a welcoming impression, showing that the home has been well cared for.

If you are a smoker it’s always air the rooms out before the potential buyer arrives to view it. Ensure there are no bad smells lingering, as any pet smells or cigarette smells can put off a viewer from wanting to buy your property.

Atmosphere

You will ideally want your viewer to feel as relaxed as possible whilst they look around your property, so try and avoid having pets or young children getting under their feet as they try to take it all in.

That being said, if you are selling a family home, leaving up a selection of nice family pictures and paintings can help as it will give them an image of what it may be like to raise a family in that home.

You will find that home buyers, especially those who are first time buyers in Leeds, will prefer to walk around the property on their own. If it’s a couple walking around, allow them some breathing space to discuss with each other, but also be on hand to answer their questions.

Always clean your bathroom, removing any items like cosmetics left out. You should coordinate your towels and flannels, maybe consider putting a small amount of money into making it look nice and appealing. Also make the floor space is spotless.

Lighting

A well-lit house is always going to be more appealing to prospective buyers. This can be achieved through making sure lights are turned on to brighten up rooms if it’s darker outside or keeping all curtains and blinds open to let in natural daylight.

Plants can often block out light so place these strategically around your house.

Fresh Coat of Paint

White walls look clean and fresh, and also come with the added benefit for the buyer of being extremely to paint over when the time comes to decorate. It gives the viewer a blank canvas to work with. It will also help to avoid scraping previous wallpaper off the walls.

Give a fresh coat of paint to all interior doors. Polish the brass fixtures and ensure all doors are able to open and close nicely, with no broken locks or strike plates. Buyers will want to look at making the most of space, so it’s recommended that you store objects into cupboards and have clean and tidy worktops in the kitchen.

Gardening

In terms of your garden the viewer may ask you if they can take a look inside your shed (if you have one), so it’s recommended that you don’t just throw everything in there. Once again, a running theme here, keep it neat and tidy.

  • Keep your lawn well maintained.
  • Weed the paths and any walkways.
  • Make the garden look lively with more vibrant alternatives to the plants you have.

Pay attention to your fences, make sure all the slats are in place, and that they are nicely painted or creosoted. Tidy up any visible items such as outdoor barbecues, removing any utensils left around.

People do still like to see a colourful garden so ensure its beautifully turned out. Flowering plants are lovely to see if the season is conducive. It is also recommended that you make your garage space more efficient, therefore providing more space for a vehicle.

Another Perspective

People buy from people, so it is recommended that you always take conduct the viewings yourself if you can. You will be able to accurately convey the emotions you feel about your home and can show it off in the best way you can, whilst still also pointing out any small issues that have cropped up and how you managed to fix them. Transparency goes a long way!

Estate Agents will always be wanting to earn their commission, but compared to you, who has potentially lived there for years, maybe even raised a family there, they will not know as much about the property. Your knowledge and experience of living in that property will lend well to a property viewing.

Last of all, always remember the emotions attached to buying a home. If you have a family, it really helps to put an emphasis on how much of a happy family home this has been for you. This will almost certainly rub off on the viewers if they are thinking of raising a family in that same home.

Date Last Edited: December 6, 2023