Two factors which can affect how quickly a property sells

If you're eager to sell your home as quickly as possible, it's important to understand what things may influence a potential buyer's interest in it. Read on to learn more about two factors which many real estate agents say can affect the speed with which a property sells.

Clutter and cleanliness

In theory, potential buyers should be able to look beyond a property's superficial flaws; in practice, this is rarely the case. Seemingly unimportant things, such as thick layers of dust on the window sills, stained carpets and clutter in every room can all negatively affect a potential buyer's perception of a property and deter them from putting in an offer. This is because the presence of dirt and clutter can make even the most beautifully designed and spacious of houses look cramped and unattractive. As such, if you're hoping for a quick sale, it's worth spending a few days addressing any clutter and mess around your home.

If you happen to have a lot of belongings, which are now sitting around in disorganised piles in your property, you might want to consider either carrying out a thorough de-cluttering, or alternatively, (if you don't wish to get rid of any possessions) putting any non-essential items into a self-storage facility for the duration of the selling period. Should you opt for the former, give yourself at least two days to go through your possessions, as you'll probably be surprised at just how much 'stuff' you have accumulated over the course of your lifetime. Additionally, it might be sensible to rent a skip, if you suspect that you'll end up disposing of a lot of the items that you'll be sorting through.

Deep-cleaning your property can be time-consuming but should be quite straightforward. In addition to the standard chores, such as dusting, mopping and hoovering, make sure to pay attention to other tasks that you might usually ignore; things such as stained cushion covers and curtains, for example, should be spot-treated, washed and dried. Similarly, do a thorough job of wiping down the inside of your kitchen and bathroom cupboards, the window frames and sills, and the oven door.

It may also be worth investing in the services of a window cleaner to deep clean both the inside and outside of your windows, as well as the services of a professional carpet cleaner, to remove any grime and stains which have become too deeply embedded in the carpet fibres to be removed by standard cleaning methods.

Cosmetic flaws

Minor cosmetic flaws can have a serious impact on how a property is perceived by potential buyers. Things like mouldy sealant in the shower and cracked floor tiles can give a house a neglected appearance; this, in turn, could lead buyers to believe that the property has not been well-cared for.

As such, it's sensible to spend a weekend or two repairing any minor defects around your home before you put it up for sale. If, as mentioned above, the sealant in your shower is covered in mould, cut it out with a sharp blade and replace with fresh silicone sealant (this can be purchased for just a few dollars in most DIY shops). Likewise, if one of the floor tiles in your bathroom or kitchen has a crack running through it, use a chisel to remove the surrounding grout, take off the damaged tile, scrape away any remaining adhesive, and use fresh adhesive to secure the new tile into place.


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