When the property market’s slow, most people assume that it will mean suffering a loss when it comes to selling their property. However, it can actually be an opportunity to seek great finds. 

Before we get to that, how would you determine if the housing market is slow?

A couple of signs include an increase in price reductions, and properties staying on the market for longer than expected. With this in mind, it’ll be easier for you to market your property.

Selling your house requires a great amount of preparation and deliberation, as it can be life-changing on both ends. There’s a lot to think about, to ensure you’re getting the best deal that is both satisfactory for you as a seller and for your potential buyer.

Statistics show that thousands of homeowners each year struggle to successfully sell their own homes when the market slows down. In fact, an article in The Guardian reported that “the average price of London homes sold by Savills fell by 32%…in the first half of 2019 compared with the previous year”. 

Our goal is to provide homeowners with sufficient knowledge in handling these circumstances. To help you with that, we’ve gathered 77 tips to specifically improve your house selling strategies in such a tough situation. Feel free to use this as your guide or checklist throughout the process.

Tips To Make Your Home More Valuable And Sell Faster

Before you do anything else, it’s vital that you get your property ready for selling, and don’t do anything to put off potential buyers.

With that in mind, start your selling journey by preparing your house and making it presentable for viewings. This may involve some small repairs and cosmetic improvements.

1. Declutter the space

One of the easiest ways to make a house look more spacious is to get rid of all the clutter that’s built up over the years.

This means having a good clearout and throwing away or selling all those old clothes and bits & pieces that haven’t been used in years. It can be a good way to make some extra cash ahead of your house move too.

2. Avoid hoarding too much stuff in storage areas

Much like the first tip, make sure you clear any unnecessary items from your storage areas. Letting buyers see the full potential of the space can be a big plus point.

3. Remove unnecessary decor

Try putting yourself in the potential buyer’s shoes and ask: “If I were to buy this house, would I want to remove this decor?” If the answer’s yes, then it’s probably time to get rid.

4. Make sure everything is working

Other than curb appeal, one of a buyer’s main concerns is that everything’s in working order. From the hob in the kitchen to the extractor fan in the bathroom, it’s worth taking some time to get everything fixed before you come to sell. Carrying out some repairs and getting everything in working order will help to maintain the value of your property.

5. Check the property’s secure

Make sure all of the locks on the doors and windows are fully functional. A home should feel secure, so make sure your buyers will feel safe in their new property.

6. Modernise some of the property’s features

You don’t need to spend a fortune or do anything major, but just small things like Wi-Fi-operated heating and hot water can leave a good first impression on buyers.

7. Add some outdoor lights 

These not only improve your property’s kerb appeal, but they can also provide extra security.

8. Get the right smells

It’s important that buyers aren’t put off the moment they walk in by strong odours. Even the most beautiful-looking house can be ignored if it’s pungent. Just a couple of plug-in air fresheners or scented candles can help do the trick, otherwise, it might need a deep clean.

9. Examine the property’s temperature levels

Make sure the boiler’s in full working order, and the radiators too. Check the doors and windows for draughts as well, and ensure that the loft is well insulated if you have one.

10. Have your house professionally cleaned

A deep clean can work wonders on a lived-in house, and it’s especially useful if there are strong odours or stained carpets.

Magnify Further On Design

After all that hard work, it’s time to take your home’s interior design to the next level by making a few adjustments both to the interior and exterior appearance of the property.

11. Plan it out

Plan any changes properly before you make them. It’ll save time and money, and should help to avoid any disasters.

12. Make changes that are functional rather than aesthetic

Remember, buyers will come in with their own ideas on how they want the house to look, so don’t waste too much time on making things look pretty. For example, it’s more beneficial to add shelves to a bare cupboard than it is to decorate a wall with jungle-themed wallpaper.

13. Maximise curb appeal

Curb appeal’s vital to buyers. You might have the most beautiful interior in the world, but if the house looks run-down and tired from the outside, you could lose your buyers before they even walk through the front door. Just simple things, like mowing the front lawn and putting a hanging basket on the front of the house can make a difference.

14. Search for trending designs for homes

Browsing and getting ideas from popular designs can help you make creative adjustments to the house. You can try using Pinterest or other social media platforms to get inspiration. 

15. Give it a fresh coat of paint

Brightening up some of the main living areas can be a big help when it comes to getting interest from buyers. Go for neutral colours, and nothing too bold or ‘out there’.

16. Get plenty of quotes

If you decide to get the pros in, make sure you get at least two or three quotes, so you can get the best value for the job.

17. Highlight your home’s best features

If you have fireplaces or gourmet kitchens, use these beautiful features to amplify the house’s attributes.

18. Buy some plants

This is one of the ultimate ways to freshen up or upgrade a home’s mood. Use plant decor, whether real or not, to brighten up the living areas.

19. Don’t overdo it on the decor

Keep it simple on the decor front. Whether it’s ornaments or pictures, just a handful will do. You don’t want the house to appear cluttered or stuffy. 

20. Spruce up the garden

You don’t need to go overboard, but just ensuring the grass is cout and the weeds have been dug up will help buyers to see that the house is well looked after.

21. Hang up mirrors

A popular tip to make a space seem larger is to put up mirrors. Different types of mirror sizes can have different impacts, so make sure you choose the right one for your space. 

22. Make use of glass

Doesn’t glass make a building look modern and sophisticated? Aside from installing glass doors or windows, try adding glass tables, bannisters, and other glass furniture to give the house an elegant-stylish finish. 

23. Don’t stray too far

It’s often suggested not to stray too far from the original design for various reasons. A few of those reasons involve safety and abiding by the building’s original foundations.

24. Embrace the quirks

Think of what makes your house different and embrace its uniqueness For example, an old fireplace or wood-beamed ceilings are far less likely to be found in a new-build than an older house.

25. Watch out for water damage

Has the house been leaking? If so, it can leave some ugly watermarks on the walls or ceilings. While there are a lot of ways of removing such stains, it’s important to fix those leakage issues firsthand. 

26. Offer your buyer design plans

Try suggesting good designs to your potential buyers so they’ll get an idea of how to improve the place.

27. Stick to your budget

If you have a budget in mind, stick with it. If something’s essential, then cut back elsewhere. For example, can you decorate yourself instead of getting a painter?

It’s not easy to follow all those tips above, as it requires resources and willingness to spend. However, the design is not everything. Sometimes, it can depend on how you market the property. But before that, let’s talk about how you should price your home… 

Finding Value And Pricing Your Home

28. Know the current status of the property market

The property market goes through peaks and troughs, and sometimes you have no choice but to bite the bullet if you’re looking to sell in a certain timeframe. However, if you’re able to wait for things to pick up, or you spot an opportunity to sell while the market’s hot, then timing your sale right could earn you a few extra pounds.

29. Be aware of your property’s value

In a slow market, it’s easy to get anxious while waiting for the right time. However, being conscious of your property’s value will firmly ground you in keeping steady on your decisions. Don’t be too hasty.

30. Acknowledge the disadvantages

Acknowledging the disadvantages and flaws of the place will mean a lot to your potential buyers. They might even appreciate your honesty and that will help them make sound decisions and assess what they would need if they were to purchase the property.

31. Assess the location of your house

Your property’s price can differ greatly just because of its location and how close it is to local amenities. Consider the pros and cons of its location. For example, is it close to good schools or a train station?

32. Dominate your competition

Specifically speaking, you can dominate your competitor – if there are any – by offering a better bargain. This might include giving a discount or offering to compensate for the property’s damages. This can help to speed up the process when you’re selling your home.

33. Compare your property’s value with others

Aside from dominating the competition, comparing your property with other similar sized properties nearby can help you to establish the right asking price for your property.

34. Consider the resale value when selling

Historically, property prices tend to go up over the long term, so it’s worth taking into account the potential increase in your property’s value over time.

35. Price your house right

It’s important to get the asking price for your home spot on. If it’s too high, you could scare off potential buyers, but if it’s too cheap, you’ll be selling yourself short on the price and losing out on achieving the full asking price. Speak to some local estate agents to help you find out your property’s best asking price.

Now that you’ve considered your home’s value and location, it’s time for you to market the property in various ways.

Maximise Exposure Through Marketing

Now, the first thing that probably comes into people’s minds in house selling is putting up a quite noticeable sign in the window or garden. While it’s true that this is an effective method, there are a lot of other ways to market your property besides the traditional methods.

Especially in this technology-driven generation, online marketing has risen and developed its functionality and efficiency. These advances have made marketing much easier and more convenient for homeowners.

36. Devise a thorough marketing plan

Failing to plan is planning to fail. When selling your home, it’s best to take advantage of all forms of marketing and making specific and detailed objectives. Try making a flow chart of how you are planning to advertise your home. Research marketing tactics and set a budget on how much you should spend on advertising, and write them all down like a checklist.

37. Avoid mediocre marketing

Your willingness to sell the property reflects on the extent of your efforts in marketing it. It can be said, therefore, that the success rate of selling your home depends on how much you put into it.

38. Establish a unique selling point

Like any other product in the market, your house needs to stand out above the crowd. You need to establish USPs and identify your exact target market with absolute clarity. Remember that potential buyers are not just searching for homes but are also scouting for data that may support their decision.

39. Market your home with slight aggression

Of course, we don’t want to be rude or forceful in making transactions. The point is that you have to be convincing or persuasive to your buyers. Lying is clearly not an option but you can emphasise characteristics of the house that particularly piques their interest. For example, if your home has a big garden or a converted loft, you can really push these points when it comes to marketing it.

40. Offer buyer incentives

Offer incentives to your buyers. There are a lot of ways to do this. For example, you could offer the buyer some or all of the furniture in your house at a large discount or for FREE.

41. Ask your neighbours

Your friends and neighbours can do so much to help you sell the property. You can ask them directly if they want to buy your house. This might actually be better than selling your property to a complete stranger. It’ll be easier for you to discern the right prospect since you have sufficient knowledge of their background.

42. Inform coworkers or company, if possible

Aside from your friends and neighbours, informing your coworkers or company staff would be a great opportunity to reach more people with their influential connections. This will also help filter out potential buyers from frauds, as they already have a background or recommendation from legitimate sources.

43. Try virtual touring

If you have a particularly busy schedule, you can showcase your property realtively quickly and easily by conducting virtual tours. This allows buyers to explore the house without actually being there. For instance, you could use video mediums such as Youtube or Facebook Live to exhibit your home’s features.

44. Partner with a local estate agent

There are a lot of advantages in hiring estate agents to sell your home. Firstly, they’re experienced in selling properties, and they’ll be able to reach out and connect with more interested buyers than you’ll be able to as an individual.

45. No to amateur photography

A bad photo of your house can be so trivial that it might ruin its chance of being sold. Don’t shoot random parts of the house. Make sure every photo is angled precisely to highlight the property’s key features. Of course, you shouldn’t needlessly stage and increase the buyer’s expectations by making it look perfect, only to see that it looks a lot different in reality. Your goal is to make the photo look as accurate as it can be.

46. Try car marketing

The great thing about car marketing is that it’s convenient, effective, and most of all, free. Just by writing a poster or a sign of your home that’s on sale and sticking it to your car could already work.

This type of marketing tactic is especially effective because it’s portable, and so whether you’re driving to work, or somewhere else, you get to make sure people know about your house for sale.

47. Use Google

Something as basic as using Google can be of help. Google offers services for specific advertising, so you can make use of that. A feature in Google called Adwords might be a good aid in advertising. These are the text advertising that you see in Google search engine results pages and they usually appear at the very top of the search results. You can utilise this feature by directing the user to a link to your account or website when they click on it.

48. Cover the major online advertisers

Take advantage of online marketing sites. Take Gumtree.com as an example. It is a site for free classified ads in the UK where you can buy and sell items, cars, properties, and find or offer jobs in your area.

49. Explore YouTube marketing

If you want to showcase your property without just using photos, you can take a video of it and post it on YouTube. It is your best channel to use for video marketing and it can boost your social reach.

50. Post your property for sale on the Facebook Marketplace

Facebook has a feature that allows you to buy or sell items (or in your case properties) without listing fees or taxes. However, just keep an eye out for scammers.

51. Target life events from social media

As we know, life events are usually posted on social media platforms such as Facebook or Instagram. Do a little research to find users who have recently got married, recently had a baby or are planning to move to your area. These major life events are what usually moves them to make major changes (such as moving houses). Further, if you sign up for Facebook as an advertiser, you have access to all of these events within the geographic area you serve.

52. Make use of your street frontage

While it’s a good idea to market your property online and through estate agents, the best place is outside the front of the property. Putting a sign up in your front garden or on the driveway can attract potential buyers who may be scouting the area for a new home.

53. Use local images

As mentioned earlier, you’re not just selling the property but the entire town or area that it’s located in. You can use local images from nearest parks or images of the town that are nicely taken. You can use pictures from the internet or take a few snaps yourself.

54. Do a leaflet drop around the neighbourhood

Make use of a basic marketing strategy such as posting flyers and posters around your neighbourhood or town. There are agencies and companies that can specifically do the job for you. Nevertheless, it’s completely up to you whether to ring up the nearest leaflet distribution company or handle it yourself.

55. Create an amazing business card

Aside from flyers, why not try handing out business cards? This will definitely impress on potential buyers how serious you are in selling the property. Apart from that, it will also give strangers enough information, not just on the property, but also about the seller. 

56. Take SMS texting to a higher level

Remember how important it is if interested people contact you. You could hold an SMS campaign to let others know that you’re selling your property. On average, 90% of all SMS messages are read within 3 minutes of being received. This is a great opportunity for further exposure. Keep in mind, though, your words on the message. Make sure they are well-written and respectful.

57. Host a business-friendly gathering

This is a great way not just to showcase the area, but also speak to potential buyers and build a rapport with them before proceeding to the transaction. You could invite anyone you know or simply put up a sign outside that says: “Interested buyers are welcome.” Of course, be security conscious of your surroundings to avoid attracting people who aren’t actually interested buyers.

58. Create your own website

If you don’t mind creating an actual website or hiring someone to do it, this is a good tip for spreading the word about your property. You’ll also be able to reach a much larger audience than you will by just using a local estate agent to market the property.

59. Set up an auction on eBay to list and sell your property

Try exploring known online marketplaces (like eBay) and ask if you can sell property on their platform.

60. List the property in a classified newspaper ad

Make use of local newspapers or other public brochures for more exposure.

61. Ensure you have professional copywriting

Copywriting is a great aid for putting up advertisements, as copywriters are the ones to determine the right word or phrase to connect with your target audience or buyers.

62. Be meticulous and detail-oriented

Avoid leaving out even the tiniest detail. This also assures the buyers that your offer is genuine.

Other Tips To Remember

Now we’ve looked at some of the things you can do to your property to make it more appealing to buyers, here are a few practical tips that you can implement to help a sale go through smoothly.

63. Be flexible

Remember, buyers will want to view your property when it suits them, which may not always fit in with your plans. Be as flexible as possible and be aware that you might not be given much notice ahead of a potential viewing.

64. Make yourself easy to contact

Although it might not be practical to have your phone on you at all times, it’s important that you’re reachable as much as possible. If you’re unable to answer the phone immediately, just send a quick text to say you’ll call back later.

65. Be open to offers

If you’re looking for a quick sale or your property’s been on the market for several months, then you may have to compromise somewhere. While this doesn’t mean accepting a lowball offer just to get rid of your house, you may have to accept that your full asking price could be just out of reach.

66. Remember the first offer rule

This gives the rights holder the opportunity to purchase the property before anyone else. This is usually written on a contract such as a lease agreement.

67. Be patient

Selling a house requires patience. The process can take several months and there’ll often be setbacks along the way. Just ensure you’re doing all you can to keep your end of the process running smoothly, and let the professionals deal with any issues that crop up.

68. Don’t be afraid to counter-offer

 If a buyer makes an offer that you think is too low, don’t be afraid to go back to them with a counter-offer. It’s your property after all, and it’s important to ensure you get a price you’re happy with.

69. Phone a friend

If you opt not to use a professional, such as an estate agent, you can directly phone your friends and ask them if they or someone they know are interested in purchasing your property.

70. Try referrals from trusted individuals

Start by making a list of your acquaintances who have enough connections to refer you to a number of potential buyers. Make sure that these persons would convey valid information and refer serious individuals to avoid wasting your time. 

71. Don’t ignore the lowball offers

As the seller, you don’t have to immediately refuse the lowball offers. As previously mentioned, go back to the buyer with a counter-offer as they may be willing to negotiate.

Speak To The Experts

Selling a property by yourself is very difficult if you’ve never done it before, and there’s a good chance you’ll need to speak to a professional at some point. Here are some of the key things to remember.

72. Hire a conveyancer

While it’s possible to do your own conveyancing, it’s not an easy process if you’ve never done it before. Find a reputable one to help you, and compare a few before you settle on one.

73. Find an estate agent

It’s possible to sell your property without the need for an estate agent – if for example you’re selling to someone you know personally or a fast buying property company. However, in most cases you’ll need to get an estate agent on board to market the property, conduct viewings and find potential buyers. And again, before you commit to one, just speak to two or three agents and compare them until you find one you’re comfortable with.

74. Speak to friends and family

If you’re looking for a conveyancer or estate agent and have no idea where to start, then speak to some friends to see if they can recommend anyone. Word of mouth is often the best way to find someone trustworthy, and your friends and family will only suggest someone they’ve been happy to use.

75. Seek referrals

When you have the chance to speak with other sellers, ask them for referrals. They’re unlikely to recommend estate agents that they’ve not been happy to deal with themselves.

76. Set clear expectations when hiring an estate agent

State clearly your expectations and policies regarding the sale. This will help the agent adjust and apply appropriate contracts to the deal.

77. Clarify your motivation to sell

Let the agent know your reason for wanting to sell, and the approximate timeframe you’d like to get a sale completed in. The longer you wait, the more great deals the agent is able to pick up.

It won’t be easy to sell in a slow market, but it doesn’t mean it’s impossible. You just need to put in extra effort, as simply listing your property won’t be enough in times like this. Hopefully, some of these tips will be helpful when it comes to you selling your property.

What’s your favourite idea?

It’s very important you make sure your boiler has been serviced by a qualified engineer and has a gas safe certificate for the property

Dan Munday | Owner | Diamond Services

An EICR is an Electrical Installation Condition Report. It is a formal document that is produced following an assessment of the electrical installation within a property. It must be carried out by an experienced qualified electrician or approved contractor. For businesses, employers are recommended to have an EICR test undertaken once every five years. Buy-to-let or rented property – landlords should have an EICR test done every five years or when new tenants enter the property. Homeowners – an EICR is recommended every 10 years.

Shane Munday | Owner | Infinite Electrical Solutions

Landscaping boosts your homes curb appeal. Adding some greens inside your home makes it feel that there’s a continuation from interior to your exterior. Exterior open spaces shall be inviting. Well shaded open spaces provides activity opportunities and this will definitely attract the buyers.

Kerri Chuaquico | Senior Landscape Architect | KEO International Consultants

Find out about the best property apps currently available.