Have you ever wondered what the estate agent is thinking as they slowly, but surely, interrogate every cm of your home? You can learn a lot on how to improve your home for selling once you know what goes on inside an estate agent’s head. These are the top things an estate agent will look for when analysing your home as told by Aaron Cambden, founder of estate agents Fairview Estates.
Have corners been cut?
Estate agents will look to see how good a job has been done on any renovations and decorating. If you can look at a room and tell the paint job isn’t the best, or that a professional definitely hasn’t seen to it, it immediately makes you wary of the entire house. You’re essentially telling an estate agent that you haven’t had the property’s best interest at mind when decorating. It’s extremely easy to tell a good DIY project from a bad one. Just remember, estate agents have many properties in their mind to draw comparison from, therefore, professional craftsmanship is simple and easy to spot.
Can you cook?
Most estate agents would agree that the kitchen is the biggest selling point of any home. If you’re choosing where to invest money, always into the kitchen. Whether you’re a young professional couple or a large family, the kitchen is going to be used all year, extensively and is often a social hub when entertaining guests. Space, quality of finish, and capabilities of the units and appliances are all considered when reviewing this room. Make sure the dirty dishes are washed and put away!
Look for broad appeal
Estate agents will look for public appeal in a house. If we enter a study and the room is insanely decorated to the most niche of tastes, we’ll immediately be put off. If we can’t imagine the average homeowner living in it, we’re going to struggle to evaluate it so. Your home doesn’t have to look like a showroom, but having a cove currently being used a shrine to a pop star isn’t going to give off the right vibe. Broad appeal will always win over niche interests.
See into the future
Estate agents sadly aren’t psychics, but we can see the future potential for property. Development potential is also considered when we analyse a property. If we’re looking at a kitchen and we can see the potential for an extension, or there is adequate space for a loft conversion, we’re noting that down. Buyers like making their own mark and if they can do this by changing the house’s structure, you’re hitting the right buttons straight away.
The easy wins
If you haven’t mowed the lawn, tidied the house, organised cupboards and generally kept the property well maintained, you’re harming your valuation immediately. Estate agents think like the average person and don’t want to be put off by things that are so simply sorted out. The reasoning for this is that it indicates to people that other parts of the house that are unseen, perhaps plumbing, may be at risk of this lack of maintenance too.
Ultimately, if your house is clean and finished to a high standard, you may have done all you can. Just let the estate agent do their job and it doesn’t harm to offer them a cup of tea if your house is large.