Thursday, January 06, 2011
THE latest statistics
from the National Association of Estate Agents (NAEA) show that the
number of house hunters across the country is on the rise.
To enable potential
sellers to make the most of this demand the NAEA has the following
tips:
Presentation is all important: 45% of NAEA
members say that tidying up clutter is the best way to increase the
saleability of your home. It is often the smaller, unconsidered
factors which actually result in a sale. Making sure that the
garden is well presented and redecorating are also factors which
are likely to improve the attractiveness of your home to would-be
buyers. The first impression is often the one that counts, so
ensure your home looks welcoming from the outside too. You could
also consider an open day to showcase your home to several buyers
at once, which may ensure a sale, and which also presents a great
opportunity to display your home at its best.
Consider an extension: There are several ways to
increase the actual value of your home, and in turn, improving the
chances of a sale. More than 40% of NAEA members believe that a
well planned and built extension, that creates an additional open
living space, is the best way of increasing the value of a
property. Installing a new kitchen is also seen as an effective way
of increasing the value, as well as performing a loft conversion.
However, sellers must bear in mind that the average price of
properties in the local area will dictate the maximum price your
home can achieve, so it's worth researching similar properties in
your local area first before carrying out any work.
Make a sensible valuation: With so few properties
on the market, it is crucial for sellers to ensure that the
valuation placed on your home is competitive in the current market
conditions. The value of properties across the board has dropped
sharply during the last few years, so it is crucial that you get an
accurate valuation of your home. As well as decreasing the chance
of selling your home, mortgage advisers may refuse mortgage finance
for would-be buyers if they believe the asking price is not a
sensible one.
Energy efficiency: With the cost of heating your
home on the rise, many households are choosing to make their home
more energy efficient. Some buyers will use an Energy Performance
Certificate (EPC) as a bargaining tool to knock down the price of a
property, if they are intending to carry out extensive energy
efficiency improvements. Installing draft excluders or improving
the insulation of your loft or boiler are simple ways of improving
energy efficiency. With the Government Green Deal due to introduce
incentives for homeowners to increase the energy efficiency of
their home, this issue will remain an important one for sellers to
bear in mind.
Choose the professionals: When deciding on the
estate agent to sell your home, we know that there are many
operating on the high street. However, only NAEA members can
provide the knowledge and professionalism required to give you
peace of mind. The NAEA is aware that selling your home can often
be a stressful experience, as well as the biggest financial
transaction of a person's life. That is why all NAEA members are to
be licensed, in order to protect buyers and sellers and raise
standards in the industry. The NAEA licence is also supported by
the Government, and so you should always look for the NAEA licence
logo when selling your home.
Advertise your property online: Property portals
are an increasingly useful tool for sellers and buyers alike, so
make sure that your agent advertises your home online through
Propertylive. Propertylive.co.uk is the only property search site
that's regulated, protected and run by a professional body of fully
accredited agents. They are committed to professional standards in
the property industry to which they can be held accountable, and
have to adhere to Rules of Conduct and Codes of Practice.
ENDS
Editor Notes
About the
NAEA
The NAEA has recently
introduced the first ever licence for UK estate agents, designed to
help consumers choose qualified or experienced agents. The licence
is designed to give prospective buyers confidence that they are
getting the best advice and value for money in a complex
market.
The National
Association of Estate Agents (NAEA) is the UK's leading
professional body for estate agency personnel, representing the
interests of around 10,000 members who practice across all aspects
of property services both in the UK and overseas. These include
residential and commercial sales and lettings, property management,
business transfer, auctioneering and land. The NAEA is a sister
organisation to the Association of Residential Letting Agents
(ARLA), as is PropertyLive.co.uk, the UK's only regulated property
portal.
The NAEA is dedicated
to the goal of professionalism within all aspects of property,
estate agency and land. Its aim is to reassure the general public
that by appointing an NAEA member to represent them they will
receive in return the highest level of integrity and service in
both sales and lettings, for all property matters. Both NAEA and
ARLA members are bound by a vigorously enforced Code of Practice
and adhere to professional Rules of Conduct. Failure to do so can
result in heavy financial penalties and possible expulsion from the
Associations.
For further
information contact:
NAEA PRESS OFFICE
Tel: 020 3128 8181 E-mail: press@nfoppmedia.com