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LEGGETT IMMOBILIER - LOCAL KNOWLEDGE YOU CAN TRUST
are favourable. Try standing out
on the road and visualising
what they will see, then change
things so that the vista becomes
more attractive.
Make sure that your garden
is tidy with plenty of colour
and absolutely zero clutter. Try
putting in some fresh plants
around the entrance, give those
shutters a fresh lick of paint and
invest a morning in cleaning the
windows so that the sunshine
the buyers are looking for can
come streaming in.
Children can create mess
beyond words. You may know
that the books, clothes, toys
and computers are just surface
clutter but they will distract the
buyer from seeing the positive
things (such as a room's size,
clarity of light or architectural
features). You should also recognise
that many buyers don't
want to be met by your family
dog jumping up and saying hello.
I've seen it happen hundreds
of times and have even had serious buyers
refuse to get out of
the car until the pets are on a
leash or taken away.
You should be aiming for a colourful approach
to the house
and a tidy and welcoming feel
indoors.
A GOOD TIME TO SELL
The property market in France is
growing stronger with 900,000+
homes sold in the last year.
This means that you need to
get two things right to ensure
a sale. Firstly, make sure that
your house is well priced when
compared to similar properties around
it. Nearly all buyers
will have this "comparable evidence"
at hand and will just dismiss
your property if the figures
don't stack up.
Secondly, ensure that you
give yourself the best chance
of a sale - snagging, painting,
planting and tidying will only
cost a handful of euros and a bit
of your time but this work will
repay itself a thousandfold.
Joanna Leggett is Marketing
Director of Leggett Immobilier
and a regular panellist on the
Property Question Time TV show.
1. Plant colourful shrubs and flowers along your
driveway - keeping the entrance to the house clear
of parked cars, bicycles and toys.
2. Give your shutters and front door a fresh
coat of paint and think about changing your door
knocker to make it stand out and more attractive.
3. Get rid of any nasty odours - above all make
your kitchen welcoming with fresh coffee and
bread far more preferable than last nights curry or
fried onions.
4. Make the beds, pick up dirty laundry, wash &
put away the dishes - even consider laying up the
dining table. Make sure that rooms are well lit.
5. Clear up any mess made by your cats & dogs.
Nothing puts a buyer off more than that!
Joanna's
5 TOP TIPS