10 important factors you overlook when selling a flat

It takes just 8 seconds for the average buyer to form an opinion of a property they are viewing – the rule of first impressions applies here too. There are plenty of listings on the market, so competition between sellers is very strong. What should you pay attention to when presenting a flat? What should you emphasise, and what should you discreetly leave out?

The factors that make a property easier to sell are without doubt the location, the cubic volume of the flat, its layout and space, and of course the price. Often, however, sellers are not aware of small details that can determine how quickly the flat is sold.

Marketing from the very entrance

You cannot always influence the landscaping in front of the property, but you can take care of the staircase. It is worth the effort to wash the stairwell along the route leading to your flat with a fragrant cleaning liquid. Make a good impression from the very first moment. Also remember a clean doormat and a freshly washed door! Put the family's coats and jackets away in the wardrobe!

Fall in love with white

Repainting the walls costs little but makes a really big impression. Even if you think that a shade of lurid lime green suits the room, give the potential new owner a choice. White gives a feeling of freshness and cleanliness and makes the room look bigger. Remember that women have an eye for aesthetics, and it is the fairer sex that largely decides on a purchase. Light walls are simply elegant.

The smell of cleanliness

It is not about having the Perfect Housewife come round for an inspection and waiting nervously for the white glove test. Still, scrubbing and polishing the floors – and, if we have carpets, washing them – is simply a must. Cobwebs in the corner of a wall, a few centimetres of dust between the radiator fins, or greasy kitchen tiles will not help the sale. A tidy space makes an impression not only on people viewing the flat in person, but also on a listings portal. A detail such as a shiny, beautiful floor has more than once decided a purchase.

Vanilla or cinnamon?

Aroma marketing – you too can seduce buyers with scent. A well-chosen aroma can greatly influence a client, and it is worth evoking good memories, such as those of childhood. In this case, however, we are not trying to evoke even the most wonderful (to us) smell of a frying cutlet – the aroma of vanilla or cinnamon biscuits, on the other hand, will be the perfect choice. Let us also remember that no spray from the chemist's can imitate the smell of freshly baked cake. It is a simple measure that raises the attractiveness of the property, because viewers start to associate it with the warmth of a family home.

Proper lighting

Marketers attach great importance to the display of a product. Your property is a product – to increase the chance of a sale, you must present it properly, and proper lighting will help with this. The times when the only source of light in a room was a chandelier hanging in the middle of the ceiling are gone for good. Nowadays several light sources are necessary, preferably of different intensity and colour. It is worth adding lighting to, for example, the wardrobe. LED strips are inexpensive, and they will definitely make the flat more attractive. An illuminated walk-in wardrobe is every woman's dream.

READ ALSO – SELLING A PROPERTY USED FOR BUSINESS PURPOSES

Like cats and dogs

You love animals, and perhaps the potential buyer does too, but their presence can negatively affect the attractiveness of the property. The first problem is the fur left behind by animals, which is not only unattractive but can also cause allergies. Second – the smell. Here even vanilla biscuits and cut flowers will not help if the cat's litter tray is not cleaned. Third – pet toys, which usually make wild noises; it is not so bad if the client steps on one and gets a fright (it can break the ice), but worse if they take a tumble.

Watch out, a defect!

Creaking doors, floors or windows can be an asset if we are selling a homestead from the early 19th century. Then these "defects" give the place a unique, somewhat fairy-tale atmosphere; in the case of a flat in a block of flats, it is simply a flaw that irritates the buyer. Adjusting hinges and oiling fittings does not require much effort, yet makes a big difference.

Turn flaws into assets

Until recently, plans to build a tram line through housing estates were met with protests from residents. Today the situation is changing considerably, because 3/4 of Poles consider the tram the best means of transport. Technology is moving forward, so vehicles are no longer so loud. Some clients turn up their noses on hearing that there is a tram line near the property they are interested in – in that case, persuade them of the economic advantages of this means of transport and of the time saved by avoiding traffic jams on the commute to work.

READ ALSO – SELLING A FLAT WITH A MORTGAGE

Personal belongings

Małgosia's first drawings or Jacek's tower of building blocks are a source of pride for parents, but not a very desirable element of interior decoration for potential clients wishing to buy a flat. The same goes for photos from the wedding, the birth, or important family celebrations. While photos are being taken or the flat is being shown, pack personal belongings away in boxes. Give the client mental space to imagine themselves, their family and their privacy in a place that they may buy from you.

The surroundings

An element that ruins a sale and that, unfortunately, we cannot change is nightmare neighbours. Several representatives of this group can be distinguished. First comes the music lover, who at all hours of the day and night treats everyone to a loud musical education. Next is the animal lover who cannot control his pets, which bay like wolves at the moon when he is away. Elderly neighbours who play the radio or television loudly from the early morning can also prove problematic.

As it turns out, a little goodwill, some free time and a small financial outlay are sometimes enough to make the property for sale dramatically more attractive. Sometimes it is enough to apply the right marketing techniques and skilfully play on the buyers' emotions.

The article was written by Piotr Majewski – a passionate property market specialist. You can find more of his articles on the morizon blog