Ticino Welcome - September 2016, SELLING A HOUSE IN TICINO: INSTRUCTIONS FOR USE
SELLING A HOUSE IN TICINO: instructions for use
EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW TO TAKE THIS STEP IN THE BEST POSSIBLE WAY.
1. Prepare yourself psychologically
When you decide to sell your house it is important that you face the psychological transition from the "House" you love so much to the "house" you are trying to sell. This change, in simple terms, means letting go.
The process of emotional detachment is an experience that all sellers have to go through sooner or later. Home is where the heart is and taking this first step is not easy. Preparing your property properly to put it on the market takes time, if you make the right improvements you will see that the chances of selling more quickly and at a higher price will increase. Start the pre-sale preparation process by listening to an objective opinion from an external person, who can highlight both the strengths and weaknesses of your home.
2. The first impression: external improvements
The first impression is what counts. So before you put your house on the market, make sure it looks its best both inside and out. Until not so long ago the idea of preparing a house for sale was unknown, it was enough to put it up for sale, people would visit it and hopefully that would be enough to find someone willing to buy. But today's buyers are prepared, they have watched TV programmes on the subject, read magazines and now they want to do it themselves. Most of them are time-poor people, so it is vital that your home looks appealing from the first glance. There is a huge amount of refinement that can be done to get the best price for your property, making it as desirable as possible. The appearance of the front of your house, the one facing the street - called the "first impression from the street" by professionals - is the first thing potential buyers see and notice. Their impression will be formed in their minds within the first 10 seconds!
HERE ARE SOME WAYS TO IMPROVE THE FIRST IMPRESSION FROM THE STREET OF YOUR HOME:
Painting: repainting the exterior before the sale is the biggest step to increase the chances of getting a satisfactory result. White tones, greys and soft colours are the best choices for exterior facades.
Lawn: Keep it well mown, a well-tended lawn gives your home a particularly attractive appearance.
Pavements: Clean your pavements daily. Keep them free of leaves in autumn.
Plants: remove or replace any dead or dying trees, hedges or shrubs and prune anything that looks unkempt or intrusive.
Flowers: Fill flowerbeds with seasonal flowers - this is an inexpensive way to add colour and charm to a property.
If you have the opportunity, make your life easier by hiring a professional to help you with these tasks. Your estate agent can probably refer you to people who specialise in this type of work. Remember: these points are really the most important to enable you to sell your home at the best price.
3. Improving the interior
The outside appearance attracts buyers to the house. The interior design makes the sale. The small things you do generally give the biggest increase in value. Focus on three main points: cleaning, clearing and making aesthetic improvements. Use fabrics, carpets, tablecloths, napkins, sofa cushions, curtains or drapes, bedspreads and quilts, towels, shower curtains to create notes of colour. You can also use floral arrangements to add colour to rooms.
Clean, scrub and polish: your hob, oven, fridge, microwave and all other appliances should be spotlessly clean inside and out. Thoroughly clean the walls, floors, bathtubs, showers and sinks until they sparkle.
Eliminate odours: Buyers will notice strong odours as soon as they step foot in the house, especially eliminate smoke, mould and pet odours. Cleaning curtains and carpets will help you get rid of odours. Remove ashes from the chimney.
Repair dripping taps: If one of the sinks or the bathtub does not drain properly, clean them. Just as car buyers like to kick the tyres to test them, some home buyers like to test the toilets and running water in sinks/baths in their homes in order to check drains and fixtures. Also check radiators and the heating system.
Repairs: make sure all gutters and downspouts are in place and clean. Replace missing or damaged tiles and tiles. The roof is an area that any potential buyer will be looking at, so it should be in as good a condition as possible. Make sure that the front and back doors, garage doors, and all windows open easily.
Windows: Keep windows clean inside and out throughout the house (replace any damaged glass). Gleaming windows give the immediate impression that the house has been well cared for, whereas dusty or dirty windows block light and give the impression that the owner does not care about the house.
4. Give the house a 'stage' look
If you have seen a presentation of a project of a new house or the presentation models of a house by the builder, you know exactly how you should prepare your house. Builders usually carry out this work excellently. The 'stage' is the final part of the process that started with the three basic tasks (cleaning, clearing and cosmetic improvements). Here are some interesting tips that you can use to increase the appeal of your home:
Unused rooms: Clean unused rooms, move the things you have stored there, uncover furniture and arrange it well, as if you were preparing the room for a guest.
Kitchen: Fragrant aromas such as freshly baked biscuits or freshly brewed coffee are attractive to most people.
Bathrooms: Make sure they always have fresh towels. Buy new shower curtains and put new scented soaps in the soap dishes. Remove any empty bottles or containers, as well as stickers from the walls.
Cellars: they need to be cleaned, hire someone to empty them. For many buyers, wine cellars indicate what they can expect to find 'behind the surface'.
Collections: Everyone has collections, family photos on the walls, autographed footballs, dolls, trophies the children won at school. Put your collections away so that people can concentrate on their real interest, i.e. buying your house.
Refrigerator: Remove everything from your refrigerator. Most people use magnets or adhesive tape to stick everything from holiday photos to children's notes and shopping lists on it, so it's best to clean it up and leave it in its original state.
Comfort: Keep your home warm in winter and cool in summer. A house that is too warm or too cold is not inviting.
Fireplace: This has a dual function, one utilitarian, as it is an additional source of heat, and one romantic, as nothing creates atmosphere like the light of candles and a fireplace. If you have a fireplace, shine a spotlight on it. Polish the fireplace tools. Arrange the wood in an orderly manner.
Flowers: Colourful vases with fresh flowers create patches of colour and fragrance throughout the house, creating a wonderful impression on potential buyers. Bouquets of carnations, daisies, tulips or other seasonal flowers bought from your local supermarket will do the trick.
Light: well-lit houses look more spacious and cheerful. Open all your curtains and drapes during the day. If the view is unattractive, put coverings all over the window to let light through, but mask what is beyond the glass.
Potential buyers often drive up in the evening to see how your house looks at night. The interior lights, which are visible from the street, create a cosy and inviting appearance. From sunset until you go to bed, therefore, keep at least one light on in every room that faces the street. Think of it this way: many of these small jobs will have to be done when you move in anyway. So why not do it a little earlier and, thanks to that, be able to get a higher selling price?
Would you like to sell your Ticino property, such as a flat, a house, a villa or a plot of land?
Then contact us today:
https://www.wetag.ch/en/why-wetag/sell-with-wetag/
