Planning a property sale: 8 top tips

Selling your property is a complex process. Comparis has some tips to help you when it comes to understanding the sales procedure, preparing your house or apartment for sale, evaluating offers, signing the contract, and moving into your future home:

Tip 1: develop a plan

The most important advice: develop a good, solid plan. This includes the following decisions and steps:

• Do you want to hire an estate agent, or will you go it alone?

• Determine when you want to list your property.

• Look into the market and set a fair price.

• Decide what furniture you want to keep, and what you want to leave behind.

• Prepare your property to be presented to potential buyers.

• Plan for what comes after the sale.

Tip 2: timing is everything

Knowing when it’s the right time to sell – both financially and emotionally – can make a big difference when it comes to planning the sale and setting the asking price. comparis.ch provides historical data on selling prices in your region. You can find information about your property and the neighbourhood via pages such as “What do others in the neighbourhood pay?” and the Comparis property valuation tool.

Tip 3: set a realistic price from the start

Your property will be visible to potential buyers as soon as it is listed on real estate platforms. It is therefore important to set a realistic market price right away. Real estate portals such as comparis.ch inform potential buyers about new listings that match their personal search criteria. If the price is too high, you might not reach those who might be interested. If the price is too low, you risk losing money.

Tools such as the Comparis property valuation  and the Comparis rating, as well as an estate agent’s experience and local networking, can help you set a competitive price.

The right estate agent 

An estate agent can be a trustworthy advisor when it comes to pricing and marketing your property. Choose someone with a comprehensive understanding of the local real estate market and proven experience in successful property sales.

If you’re thinking of selling your property without professional support, make sure you’re fully prepared for the undertaking. 

Tip 4: look at your home through the eyes of your buyers

It’s important to leave emotions aside and make tough, realistic decisions about renovations, pricing and marketing. An estate agent will likely suggest what should be repaired or renovated.

There’s a reason why estate agents place so much emphasis on first impressions. The exterior view is usually the first thing the buyer sees in the listing, and also later on when they come for a viewing.

Our tip: to make sure the all-important first impression is positive, clean your driveways and pavements, and put some seasonal plants in pots or flower beds.

Tip 5: prepare for viewings

Going from property owner to property seller will help you decide what to keep, store, sell, or give away.

It only takes a few pieces of furniture to get your house or condominium ready to be presented for sale. An estate agent can give you advice and connect you with a professional home staging company to help you make these decisions.

De-cluttering and de-personalizing your living spaces is essential. This helps buyers to picture the property as their own home and start visualizing the decor in their minds. It’s not always easy to watch potential buyers – who are ultimately complete strangers – trample through your rooms, looking at and commenting on everything with a critical eye.

If you plan to live in your property while it’s up for sale, you need to keep it spotless and showcase-ready. This can be difficult, especially for families with young children. But the better you flaunt the property, the faster you’ll find a buyer.

Tip 6: awaken and strengthen interest in your property

Your home is probably one of your biggest financial assets. Therefore, you’ll want to know as soon as possible whether it has attracted the attention of buyers.

Make your listing look as attractive as possible, with lots of clear, bright photos and a well thought-out description. Choose your words carefully. The right phrasing can increase your final selling price, while some innocent-sounding expressions can lead to a massive loss of interest in the property.

Our tip: use adjectives like “captivating” or “impeccable” and stay away from vague words such as “nice”. By adding a quick video filmed with your smartphone to the listing, buyers can take a virtual tour, which will also increase interest on online platforms. A good estate agent will also takes pictures with a drone to give potential buyers a realistic impression of the property’s surroundings and location.

Tip 7: establish your priorities

Make sure that you and, where applicable, your estate agent, know what’s important to you. Is it a quick sale? Do you want to get your asking price? Or do you want to keep your closing costs to a minimum? How much are you prepared to pay?

It’s safe to assume that not all these wishes can be fulfilled. Working out your priorities before the sales process begins makes it easier to evaluate offers, create counter offers, and decide what concessions to offer the buyer. Are you really that attached to your washing machine and tumble dryer, for example?

Tip 8: think about the next steps

If you’re planning to buy your next house, remember to talk to your bank about financing in advance so that you have an advantage in the market. And be aware that there is no easy answer to the question of what should come first: buying or selling.

Selling property might seem difficult, but don’t forget that you have more tools and data available than previous generations of home sellers – and they managed to sell their first property faster than you might think.

Tip: with Comparis, you can get a free property valuation in just a few minutes.