Once you have made the decision to sell your property, you’re eager to close the sale as quickly as possible! And that’s completely understandable! In the current market, you may have the ambition to sell quickly. At Carmen Immobilier, 90% of properties listed exclusively are sold in less than 3 months. So, how can you sell your house or apartment quickly and effectively?
Here are some tips to help you sell as quickly as possible and under the best conditions.
Step 1: Put Your Property on the Market When You’re Ready!
It may seem obvious, but in reality, many sellers aren’t truly ready! Does your property need small adjustments or renovations? Does it need a fresh coat of paint? Is it clean and tidy? Make a list of things to fix, imagining yourself as a potential buyer seeing the house or apartment for the first time!
Don’t hesitate to ask friends and family for their opinions on decoration and possible arrangements, but don’t take it personally! They’re there to help, and what they think, potential buyers will likely think too. Over time, we get used to the small imperfections in our homes.
Small Pre-Sale Renovations
We’re not talking about undertaking a major renovation, but rather making a few small changes to refresh your property. Keep in mind that potential buyers usually form an impression (either positive or negative) within the first 90 seconds of seeing the property!
Consider repainting certain rooms to give them a fresh look, update the outdated kitchen backsplash, replace damaged shower panels, and finally install the light fixture to hide any exposed wires.
If you have a pool, it’s a real asset, but if it appears dirty and poorly maintained, it could be seen as a drawback. Check the condition of any garden furniture and tidy up the storage areas. Use a pressure washer on the poolside and remove any weeds.
If you’re selling a house, pay special attention to the «first impression» which will set the tone for the rest of the viewing. What will visitors see first when they arrive at your property? If it’s the garden, mow the lawn and trim the hedge. If it’s the facade, fix any loose shutters and clean the exterior with a pressure washer.
Tidy Up and Clean
Your potential buyers need to imagine themselves living in your home: Help them visualize it! The last thing they want to see are dirty windows, greasy kitchen surfaces, carpets covered in dust, stained rugs, or blackened grout in the bathroom. For the latter, the buyer may think it’s due to poor ventilation and form a negative impression of your property.
Put everything in its place: dishes should be put away, beds made, and trash taken out to avoid unpleasant odors. Also, declutter your closets because overflowing storage gives the subconscious impression that there isn’t enough space!
If you feel overwhelmed by the task, many cleaning companies offer tile cleaning services. In most cases, you can deduct 50% of the cost for home services.
You can also contact a home staging company, whose role is to highlight your property and make it more appealing to buyers. For a modest cost, you could increase the asking price by a few thousand euros.
Step 2: The Valuation of the Fair Price for Your House or Apartment
Estimating the value of your house or apartment is not easy.
You love your home, and like most homeowners, you might have an emotional attachment to it, which can lead to overvaluing its price… Especially if you’re planning to buy another property and need a specific amount to move forward with your new project. Keep in mind that most prices displayed on websites, or even in the windows of some real estate agencies, are not the actual sale prices.
Houses and apartments priced at market value typically sell in less than 3 to 4 months on average.
Look at What’s Happening Around You
The first thing you should do to get an idea of your property’s value is to ask around about the sale price of a property that was recently sold in your neighborhood. You can also check online for listings of properties similar to yours: type of property, neighborhood, size, number of bathrooms, year of construction, etc. This will give you a price range, typically within 20%, that you can rely on to set the selling price of your property.
Be mindful of how long the property has been on the market. If it’s been listed for more than 3 months, it’s likely that the price is overestimated. Many individuals, who aren’t really motivated to sell, post listings with a high asking price “just in case” they find a buyer at that price…
Online Estimation
Many real estate agency websites and online portals offer online estimation tools. Carmen Immobilier provides you with a simple, quick, and free estimation tool.
However, can you rely 100% on these online estimation tools? Estimating a property’s value is a complex task that must take into account numerous factors that these tools may not consider, such as recent transactions, the general condition of the building, market trends, and more. For example, at the same address, you might have one sunny apartment and another facing a noisy street. The online tool won’t make that distinction, but your buyer will.
Our Carmen online estimation tool provides an indicative pre-estimate. And while we’ve selected the most relevant data, an online estimation will never be as accurate as one performed by one of our real estate specialists.
Estimation by a Real Estate Professional
It is advisable to consult a real estate professional before jumping in and risking listing your property at an overestimated price. Keep in mind that properties often fail to sell due to an inflated price…
A real estate agent knows the local market inside and out, so try to work with a local agency for an agent who is completely familiar with your neighborhood. As a professional, they will provide you with a reliable and free estimate that doesn’t commit you to anything.
The agent can also offer valuable advice on how to enhance your home or apartment. They’ll also inform you if there are many properties for sale in your neighborhood. Competition should also be factored into the market price. If there are many apartments for sale in your area, the buyer will inevitably compare options. You’ll need to stand out in order to be chosen.
At this point, you should have a good idea of your property’s final selling price!
Step 3: The Promotion of Your Property
Whether you use a real estate agency or handle the sale of your property yourself, it’s essential to pay close attention to creating your listing: high-quality photos and a well-written description. For more details, check out our article: How to Write a Good Listing.
Take Good Photos
Don’t overlook this step in the sale of your property. Photos give the first impression to potential buyers. Wait for a sunny day to take your exterior photos, but be mindful of backlighting, which can darken the room. Tidy up your personal belongings and remove pets. Anything too personal can prevent a potential buyer from imagining themselves in your home.
Take well-framed, horizontal photos of good quality. Don’t hesitate to include a lot of photos in your listing— the more photos, the more the buyer will feel confident that there are no hidden flaws.
Carmen Immobilier offers professional photo shoots for sellers who have signed an exclusive sales mandate.
Write a Good Real Estate Listing to Sell
You can add as many photos as you like, but don’t overload the text of your listing.
A text that is too long can discourage potential buyers, as they review so many listings in search of the ideal property that they tend to skim through them to quickly find the essential information. Therefore, the key information must be highlighted right from the beginning, not buried in excessive descriptions. Be clear, precise, and concise. Pay attention to the title, and don’t hesitate to be factual. Check out our tips for writing a good real estate listing to sell quickly.
What Can Help You Sell Faster
Understand Seasonality and Timing
There are more viewings—and therefore more sales—during spring and autumn than in summer or winter. In summer, everyone is on vacation, and in winter, it gets dark quickly, making it difficult to highlight the brightness of rooms when it’s dark by 5 PM. Therefore, try to list your property for sale in the spring. However, be cautious during presidential election years. During these years, there is often a decrease in transactions due to potential expectations of fiscal reforms. It’s better to try selling before those years.
Choose an Exclusive Listing
If you decide to sell through a real estate agency, you’ll have the option to sign either a simple or exclusive listing agreement. Know that 90% of exclusive listings sell within 6 months, compared to just 55% for simple listings.
With a simple listing, you’re free to work with multiple agencies to sell your property. While this gives your property a broad exposure, it can lead to overexposure: potential buyers may think the property isn’t selling due to hidden flaws, especially since it appears on all real estate websites. Also, the prices listed by different agencies might vary, making buyers wary.
With an exclusive listing, you entrust your property to a single real estate agent. This agent will be much more motivated to sell your property since they are the only one authorized to close the sale.
Make sure that your real estate agency is part of the AMEPI network. This network brings together real estate professionals who share their exclusive listings. So, even if you choose one agent, your property can be offered by several trusted agencies. You can then select the agency that offers you the most services. (Learn more about our offers)
Read another article: Mandatory Real Estate Diagnostics for Sale
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