Whilst there’s no denying the fact that many young people are struggling to get onto the property ladder as a result of increasing house prices, tougher mortgage criteria and the difficulty of saving up a sizeable deposit, it must still be remembered that there are those of a younger generation who successfully find themselves buying a home and it’s often the case that, when you look to move home and up-size, it’s those just starting out who will be looking to buy from you. As such, it’s absolutely vital that you understand what these buyers are looking for and take the time to carry out any work which could help you sell quicker and for the right price. Our principal mortgage broker, David, looks here to share just 5 top tips on how you can help sell your home to the younger generation.
1. Paint Your Walls Warm, Neutral Colours
Don’t be tempted to do anything other than paint your walls a warm, neutral colour if your target market to sell to is ‘young professionals’ or ‘young families.’ Warm grey works very well as a wall colour, if only to ensure that anyone who views your home is able to envisage how they can best bring in their own colours. Having an overpowering coloured wall or busy wallpaper can be off putting as it can be difficult to imagine changes, however this problem is eliminated with neutral colours. Of course, you must also remember that in many cases, less is more when it comes to interior design and the more simplistic, the better.
2. Consider Updating The Bathroom
To many, the bathroom is a place for relaxation and, ultimately, one of the most difficult rooms in the house to ‘rip out and start again.’ As such, by updating your bathroom you could be adding a whole new level of attractiveness. You generally won’t find potential buyers to be as fussy about the bathroom interiors as they would be the lounge or bedroom; so long as it’s clean and relaxing.
If they’re not outdated, you shouldn’t need to replace the bathroom suite itself and it’s amazing how far re-tiling can go. We spoke with Amy from RF Interiors, one of the UK’s leading suppliers of marble tiles who recommended, “go for something fancy yet simplistic at the same time. We find marble goes down a treat in the bathroom when you choose the right style as every single tile will have it’s own unique characteristics whilst a stunning overall look and feel.”
Above all else, make sure the bathroom is modern, functional and stylish and you’ll be surprised how much interest it picks up.
3. Finish Any Unfinished Projects
Have you started a job but not got round to finishing it? Before you put your property on the market, find the time to do so or get a professional in to help out! It’s surprising how many home owners get sidetracked when half way through a job but unfortunately it’s also one of the main reasons for disinterest in a home when looking round. Young families or even young professionals are unlikely to have the time to finish jobs which you started (unless you’re prepared to knock a hefty amount of the final sale price for the inconvenience) so it’s beneficial to do these yourself not just for the likelihood of it putting off buyers but for the financial ones as well.
Think ahead and, if at all possible, ensure there’s no outstanding projects before you even approach an estate agent and put your home on the market.
4. Replace Worn Carpets
There’s few things more unsightly than old, worn carpets and they can be a real turn-off for potential homebuyers when looking round your property. Whilst perhaps not an ‘investment’ in the same sense as other would could be, you’d be surprised at the difference new carpets makes to the overall appearance of a house.
You don’t need to opt for top of the range carpets, simply something clean, new and attractive. Trust us, if you go for neutral colours (there’s a neutral theme here isn’t there), you can’t go wrong and at least potential buyers will know they won’t need to rush out and fit out an entire house with brand new carpets. If you’ve got smaller rooms in the house, try looking at local carpet shops for offcuts from larger rolls as these can be a cheap way to carpet these.
If you either can’t afford to replace or the carpets are in relatively good condition, at the very least consider having them professionally cleaned.
5. Consider Selling With Lifestyle Photos
One thing which is becoming increasingly popular with those looking to sell their homes to a younger generation or those who simply want their homes to standout online is to take lifestyle photos rather than your traditional estate agent images. Victoria of V-Move is a strong purveyor of such shots and a recent blog post of hers suggested a range of tips for staging your home and, of course, for the photos. Another top tip which makes absolute sense is, “Ask your agent to re-take your front photograph with a bright blue sky. It really works wonders!” Who wants to see photos of a house on a dull day?!
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At the end of the day, you need to know who you’re marketing your house to before you make any changes, however by doing your research, you’ll be able to understand what you need to do to make your home most attractive to those you want to sell to.