Advice for owners wishing to sell/rent a property

In an extremely competitive property market, it's not always easy to sell or rent your property. So, you may as well give yourself every chance of success. To help you in doing so, here are just a few tips that are simple and easy to apply which will allow you to sell or rent your property under the best possible conditions.

The right price

Any property will sell quickly if the price is right. Even if it's too expensive, the property will probably end up being sold, but the process will take much longer. An inflated price will, in effect, put a damper on buyers who are interested.

When you decide upon the sale price of your house, you should take into consideration its location, the number and size of bedrooms, the view, the quality of the build, the overall state of the property and, above all, the current market conditions.

A few tips to make your property more attractive

It is essential that your must be presented in an excellent state of repair so as to seduce potential buyers at first sight and achieve an even more attractive price for it.

1. First impressions are often the best. So, make sure that the outside of the property is compliant with standards and perfectly maintained. The garden should be cared for, the lawn mowed, drains cleared, windows cleaned without any smudges, walls should be in a good state, the swimming pool clean, etc...

2. A lick of paint often makes the world of difference. Freshening up the appearance of the property and repairing cracks before placing it on the market will give your property a new lease of life.

3. With regards to inside cleanliness, make sure that the house is impeccable, that there is no dust, and that your personal belongings have been tidied away. As such, avoid leaving toys, clothes, magazines and shoes lying around, and make sure that there are no dirty plates in the sink...

4. Empty household waste from bins in the bathroom, cloakroom and kitchen so as to eliminate any bad smells.

5. Place clean sheets and towels in the bedrooms and bathrooms.

6. Air rooms that are not regularly used a few hours before people visit and put the air conditioning on in the bedrooms. You can use pot-pourris to naturally perfume your rooms.

7. Switch the lights on in each room as this will make your house more appealing, even in the middle of the day.

8. If you have pets, leave them with friends or confine them before people visit so that any prospective buyer is not distracted. Not everyone loves our four-legged friends, and they may be a source of distraction or fear for some people. Remove any food bowls belonging to your pets and try to erase - as far as possible - all visible signs of their presence.

9. Arranging flowers or plants in the lounge or in other rooms is also an excellent way of making your home more beautiful.

Your presence during visits

Make yourself scarce. It's better to avoid being present during visits as the buyer may feel that they are bothering you, or interfering in your private life, and they won't feel completely at ease in scrutinising your property.

The buyer may, however, perhaps wish to meet you and ask you some questions. You should, therefore, be readily available to meet them.

NB: the property should always be available for inspections and visits. You can leave a set of keys with us. The buyer doesn't have a great deal of time, is often on holiday, and has lots of other properties to see!