Whether it’s your main home, a holiday getaway or an investment, selling your property is a big decision. It may have taken you months or even years to come to this decision, and it’s not one you’ve taken lightly.
When putting your property on the market, you want to make sure it stands out from the crowd to attract the right buyers and the right price. Here are my tips for getting your property ready to hit the competitive Costa del Sol real estate market.
First Impressions Count
Property viewings are incredibly important when you’re putting your home on the market. Those seconds between a potential buyer pulling up, getting out of the car and walking up to your front door are valuable.
Try and take a look at your home from a potential buyer’s point of view. What can you do to make your home look more appealing? Perhaps it could do with a fresh lick of paint or the grass needs cutting.
You want to make your property’s first impression count.
Show Your Home’s Potential by Decluttering
When a potential buyer walks into your property, they want to envision themselves living there and what they could do with this house to make it their home.
If you have a lot of material possessions hiding the walls or blocking natural light, it can be difficult for someone to see your property’s potential and envision their new home.
Non-essential items, or even furniture if you have a lot, can be moved into storage during the selling process. This opens the home up and makes it appear bigger.
Decluttering is good, but you still want to show that this has been a home where you’ve made great memories, and how a buyer can make this their home too.
A home’s potential can often be obscured by dark or brightly-coloured walls. While this may personally suit your tastes, it’s wise to go for a more neutral colour during the selling process. Consider painting the interior a white or light beige colour, as it can make the home feel more spacious and help natural light to flow through.
Target the Focal Points
A bright, tidy and clean home is essential when it comes to showing your property in the best light. You want to ensure you’re showing the full potential of the property, and the important “interest areas” – such as lounge, kitchen, master bedroom and main terrace re always focused on.
Make sure the kitchen is clean and natural light is flowing through.
The living room should also be bright and homely - add some throws and cushions to make the place look more cosy and comfy.
Bathrooms should be bright, clean and smelling fresh. And one quick request: make sure you leave the toilet seat down!
When purchasing a property on the Costa del Sol, outdoor spaces are important to potential buyers. Does your home have a terrace? Ensure it’s swept up, clean and tidy. Get rid of any fallen, dead leaves and consider adding some bright, flowering plants to add colour.
Take Advantage of Natural Lighting
Potential buyers don’t go searching for a dark home, especially not in a country like Spain, where we’re known for our sunshine. Sadly, lighting is something often looked over when it comes to preparing a property to hit the market.
Make sure you’re allowing plenty of natural light to shine through your property and make the rooms brighter – it will make the room feel more comfortable.
For the darker rooms of the home, you should consider some assistance from electric lighting. You don’t necessarily need endless light sources or flood lights, but 60 to 100 watt bulbs are brighter and livelier than a dim and not-so-helpful 25 watt bulb. And this is where the bulb specifications get a little trickier…
In a time and age of environmental consciousness, many people are switching to energy-saving light bulbs, that often offer “cold” lighting. However, “warm” light bulbs will make your home warmer and more welcoming. A bulb with a temperature of 2200 Kelvin is perfect.
Then there’s the case of brightness. You should aim for a bulb with a minimum of 400 Lumen, but ideally you want to be looking for something over 600 Lumen, with 1000 being optimal.
When it comes to light bulb shopping, IKEA in Málaga has a fantastic range of different options and a helpful staff for any assistance you may require.
What to do with Furry Family Members
We all know that, often enough, pets are part of the family. However, not everyone loves them.
Pets can cause damage to the home that might need fixing, fur needs sweeping or vacuuming, and mess they make in the garden or patio needs cleaning up.
I always advise clients that, for viewings, they arrange for the pets to be away from the home. Aside from the mess they could potentially make to your beautiful home before or during a viewing, not everyone is keen on pets. In fact, a lot of people are afraid of dogs, and you don’t want to scare off your potential buyers with your furry friend before they have even seen the property!
Consider a Price Reduction
A well-priced property is essential in order to sell. You should discuss with your real estate agent what price you expect to get for your property and what the minimum number is that you’ll accept. This way, you will be on the same page and everyone will be clear about what’s expected from any sale.
A well timed and meaningful reduction in price can make all the difference and we are more than happy to advise you on this.
Conclusion: A Little Effort Goes a Long Way
Preparing your property to hit the competitive Costa del Sol real estate market is no easy task. There’s a lot that needs to be done to make sure it’s presented in the best possible way to potential buyers.
That said, some effort at the outset will pay off. Combining these elements and having your home prepared and at the right price, will surely attract the right buyer.
DW Estates is always available and on hand to offer anything from basic advice and feedback, to a full preparation service. Please contact Danny Wright for more information.
Danny Wright
DW Estates
+34 628 135 859
danny@DWEstates.com