Why would I bother?
It is the real estate agent’s job to sell my property. Not mine.
That is partly true. It is indeed the real estate agency that will try to promote, market, and sell your property. Normally they spend quite a bit of time and effort on this.
All unpaid for by the way. The ONLY reward an agent receives is when he actually sells the property.
If you had it listed with dozens of others, as many folks do, all other agents, at best, might receive a friendly “Thank you”. However, in most cases, they will be forgotten. Not even an update.
In general, we all like to work with MOTIVATED sellers.
And we must assume you ARE motivated to sell, otherwise, you would not contact an agent?
Would you?
With near 20 years of experience on the Pattaya property scene, we are going to look out for some of the best things you can do to ensure that your home or condo gets noticed and, more importantly, sold.
We like to call it “Home Staging”. It takes a bit of effort, but the results are AMAZING.
Our property experts at Town & Country Property Pattaya are happy to advise you.
First impressions count. As they always do.
If you create a WOW-factor, you can not only sell quicker but you are also able to achieve a better price!
It is like an A, B, C…
Add some “life” to your property.
Fresh flowers are a great way to fill a house with lovely fragrances and color.
A nice bouquet on the kitchen counter or coffee table works very well and makes your home feel warm and welcome.
Be inspired.
Buy a few nice interior design magazines and get some inspiration. Perhaps paint a boring white wall in a certain accent color to brighten up your property. It is amazing how inexpensive it is to make some much more attractive.
Clean, clean, clean.
Have buyers feeling ready to move in. Make sure your home or condo is spotlessly clean.
Give it a proper deep clean. Make sure to include the kitchen area. Bring carpets and curtains to a dry cleaner. Spray around with some air freshener. Make sure all “smells” are gone, including the smells from your pets. “Hints” of fresh natural odors help to sell, such as orange, lemon, pine, basil, cedar, vanilla, and cinnamon. Any stains on the wall? Touch them up.
Ohhh… And align photo frames, center paintings & décor, and whatnot so it looks like a showroom.
Declutter.
Did you ever notice how most of the best-looking home photoshoots have little in them?
There is a reason for this minimalistic approach: it lessens distraction.
An important part of the decluttering process is to depersonalize your property.
It will enable your viewers to see themselves living on your property.
Rather than being forced to imagine how it would be like, without being reminded of your honeymoon photos in the South of France. You want to allow the buyers to dream a little.
Embrace neutral.
It is important to make your property appeal to a large potential buyer’s audience.
Even when you are so impressed with your style Louis XIV (Louis Quatorze) interiors: It makes your property become a niche.
It may require adopting a more neutral color scheme and a simple style throughout.
Focus on the flow.
Flow is an invisible element that matters almost as much as all visible objects, but what is it exactly?
Simple words: Flow is the way buyers will move through your house or condo.
It is your job is to ensure that this movement remains uninterrupted and interesting.
Imagine yourself in the shoes of the buyer and take yourself on a tour.
Anything that bothers you, annoys you? Remove it and you will heighten the flow.
Go find some storage.
Our specialists at Town & Country Property understand that it is difficult to fully tidy up your home or condo while you are still living in it… In such a case: Consider hiring some temporary storage facility.
Almost every property shows better with less furniture. Remove pieces that block or hamper paths and walkways and put them in storage, along with distracting furniture, artwork, and empty bookcases.
Leave just enough furniture to showcase the room’s purpose with plenty of room for buyers to move around. You should also consider removing “special” eyecatchers like the antique silver crystal chandelier that used to belong to your great-grandmother. Take it down before a buyer sees it and asks that it be included with the house. Telling a buyer, they cannot have an item that appears with the house and enhances its appeal can hurt the sale.
How much more can I do?
Have a good look at your kitchen, wardrobes, and storage rooms.
Tidy all up. Prospect buyers tend to open cabinets and yes, even the fridge.
Make sure it is clean and fresh.
Inspect your property for any defects.
Commission your property for ANY defects. Make sure everything works from air conditioners to the toilet drain, all lights working (including garden lights and gate lights), etc.
Check your home or condo for any chipped tiles, flaking paint, dripping taps, carpet stains, etcetera.
It should all be fixed before inspections commence.
Justify if any renovation is required.
Consult with your property expert from Town & Country Property if it makes sense (financially) to make any upgrades to your home or condo that are worth it.
If you have a really tired-looking old kitchen, it might be a good idea to install a brand new one.
If you have a sizeable garden but no swimming pool: Why should you not consider having one?
Here in Pattaya Thailand, it is still a privilege to own a private pool.
A reasonable pool might cost you THB 500,000 – but your property value might easily increase with 1 million!
Kitchen counter.
No matter how much you love to cook: Your kitchen counter should be clean and tidy.
You might have an overload of kitchen utensils such as a bender, coffee maker, toaster, ice maker, yogurt maker, rice cooker, water heater, and so on… But please do not display all of them.
Please note: If you have an oven and microwave, make sure their interiors are SPOTLESS clean!
Also the fridge/freezer. Tidy up!
Lights, daylight.
Make the house or condo sparkle, bright and airy.
Open sheers & curtains where you have them normally closed. Allow daylight to enter your home which makes your property looks fresh. Pull curtains, raise blinds, and let the sunshine in.
Even during the daytime when your Town & Country Property agent introduces potential buyers to your home: Open the lights and open all air-conditioners at least 30 minutes before arrival.
Maximize the feeling of spaciousness.
Everything you can remove makes space look bigger to prospective buyers, so be ruthless and clean out all those things that are “practical” but take up floor space. Remove all excess furniture – like chests of drawers, filing cabinets, bookcases, additional seats, etc.
It will cost you nothing and if you end up having a garage sale you might make money!
Neutralizing.
SORRY – but you will have to put your personal taste on hold. The market is always driven by buyer demand. The average buyer will have a hard time looking beyond the blue carpeting and bold wallpapers. Consider replacing unusual or bold colors with neutral tones. Two coats of off-white paint may be one of the best investments you will ever make.
Organize bedroom closets and storage rooms.
Buyers will be curious about storage space and will want to check closets and cabinets.
It is important to ensure these are organized, as it sends a negative message if your storage spaces are cluttered with items falling out. In fact, an almost empty storeroom will have a positive effect on the buyer. He will be overwhelmed by the available space on offer.
Tidy wardrobes and storerooms show that you take care of your possessions and likely took good care of the house. It is all good.
Parking and driveway.
When it comes to selling your home, preparation is paramount.
Make sure that first impressions matter. Clear the driveway and clean out the garage.
Empty parking looks bigger than one stuffed with items you no longer use.
Quality sells.
You may want to closely monitor your estate agent on their marketing and listing performances.
The experts at Town & Country Property are well trained on how to make the best photos and attractive property descriptions of your home or condo.
It does not hurt though to check what has been done to present your property in the best possible way.
Repairs.
Fix (small-) issues and defects of your property. Little fixes and repairs could make a big difference.
If you ever had a rainwater leak but the ceiling still needs to be painted: Just DO it.
If the garden hose looks worn out, just replace it with a new one. The last thing you want is the buyer to start thinking about what he needs to replace by himself…
Soften the lights.
We still do not understand how some people can live in a property with cool-white and fluorescent lighting fixtures. It makes a cold impression whereas “warm white” (also in LED light range) is much more comfortable for the eyes and makes your property feel much more welcome.
Tone down your pets.
Not everyone is a pet lover.
So, make sure your pets will not become an uncomfortable distraction while viewings take place. No matter how cute they are.
Up to date.
Of course, you are familiar with the area where you live.
This does not mean that the person who is going to buy your home or condo is familiar with the surroundings of your property. Prepare yourself for informative questions related to shopping, schools, hospitals, good restaurant, public transport etcetera. It is a comfort zone for the buyer if you know the answers.
Vision
Did you know that? Share information and novelties with the buyer.
Are you aware of the fact that there will be a Central shopping mall in the future near my property?
Did you know it only takes less than an hour to reach Suvarnabhumi airport from here?
Have you ever considered that the garden is big enough to build a nice outdoor sala?
You catch my drift, don’t you?
Wow-factors.
It is all about WOW! Impress your visitor from the moment they arrive at the property!
A warm welcome with a glass of cold water or a nice cupper does small miracles.
Make people feel wanting this property!
X-ray your property.
Organize a final walkthrough with a friend and ask their opinion.
Different eyes see different things.
Yard and garden.
Declutter your entrance. Prune back unruly shrubs. Clear away dead leaves and wee the flowerbeds.
Make sure the lawn is freshly mowed and watered.
Zillionaires.
Zillionaires hardly exist. It is the task of your Town & Country Property agent to advise you on the asking price of your property.
Overpriced properties do not sell, and you would have put in all this hard work for nothing.
Do you want to sell your property in Pattaya?
You know where to go.
Author: Mr. KC Cuijpers
For more information: Please contact Town & Country Property – [email protected]
