How many viewings will it take to sell your home?

In this month's edition, we start off by looking into how many viewings you can expect to conduct before your La Manga Club home is sold. 

Elsewhere, there's news on an increase in flights and a new bus service to La Manga Club from Murcia International Airport, British tourists are at the forefront of a surge in visitors to the region, we offer our top tips to improve your property's kerb appeal and finally, we reveal the biggest put-offs to potential buyers and investors when viewing properties. 

British tourists behind a 30% increase in Murcia's international tourism

Despite Brexit fears, tourism is still healthy in the region, with Brits making up almost a third of foreign visitors. 

Click here to read British tourists behind a 30% increase in Murcia's international tourism.

How many viewings will it take to sell your home?

 

When listing a home for sale, we all cross our fingers and hope that someone will make an offer within the first few weeks and everything will be wrapped up neatly and quickly.

In reality, selling a home can take some time and your best approach is to present your home in its best light and have patience.

But how long on average does it take to sell a home?

New research has tried to answer this question and found that vendors are underestimating just how many viewings they will have before someone makes an offer.

In a recent survey, Quick Move Now, quizzed the public asking them how many viewings it would take to sell a house.

It was found that just over half of respondents (54.7%) believed that it would take six viewings or less before their home was snapped up.

According to data from Quick Move Now, this estimation is off the mark by some distance, as it was found that the average number of viewings before a home is sold is more than three times that amount at 19 viewings.

It was also found that this number has risen significantly over the past 3 years from 11 to 19, suggesting that over time buyers have become more patient and thorough when searching for a home.

The company’s director – Danny Luke – commented: “It’s clear that the public is vastly underestimating the average number of viewings it takes to sell a property. 54.7% believe properties sell in an average of six or less viewings, and with 30.54% of the public listing the time it takes to find a buyer as their biggest worry when selling a property, it seems it is an area of concern for many people.”

Luke went on to say: “...a significant proportion of homeowners still assume that selling their property on the open market is the only option available to them. That is simply not the case.”

It is worth noting that other studies on the subject have found that the viewings don’t always go into double digits. It can also depend on where you live, as previous studies have found that homes in the north take less viewings than homes in the south.

Data released last year from Rightmove, revealed that the average time overall to sell a home was 62 days, which is just short of 9 weeks.

There are a few things you can do to get your home sold a little faster, such as clearing the clutter and staying on top of the cleaning. Doing all you can to make your home seem like a bright open space is vital.

For more help on how to present your home in its best light, you should talk to us.

How can you increase your property's kerb appeal?

 

Any estate agent will tell you that making a good first impression is key when presenting your home for sale. Potential buyers and renters are always extra vigilant when it comes to viewing properties, from the front gate to the back garden, meaning it’s even more important to present your home in its best light from the off. But even if you’re not looking to sell up, there’s something to be said for sprucing up the front of your home.

One of the best ways to do that is to maximise your kerb appeal, which refers to how striking your home is when viewed from the road. When you think about searching for properties online, how likely are you to click on details for a home if the lead photograph is rather drab? The homes that perform the best on property websites like Zoopla and Rightmove are the ones that can grab the attention from the off.

Thankfully, maximising your kerb appeal doesn’t have to break the bank!

1) Front and centre
The front door is always a good place to start, especially as it’s one of the first things that people see when it comes to your home. UPVC doors can be cleaned easily enough with the right product, and if you've got a wooden door, why not consider a fresh lick of paint? You can also bring your garage or front gate into the equation for a bit of colourful synchronicity.

Giving your letterboxes and door handles a polish shows good attention to detail, but if they’re looking a little tired, don’t be afraid to replace them.

2) Plot your path to success
The path to your front door or outdoor paving stones can get dirty with ease, so applying some TLC, whether that’s with a pressure washer or a good ol’ bucket of warm water and a scrubbing implement will instantly help your outside space.

If you have paving stones, then keeping your weeds in check is also a shrewd move; pulling out the week killer for large front porches, paths or driveways will make things look far neater.

Gravel is a feature of many a home, and it’s also one that’s easily refreshed with a bit of colour. Locate some similar stones to your current palette and use a rake to spread them together and you’ll be surprised by how much it refreshes the approach to your front door.

3) Plant an impression
A simple touch, but an effective one. Adding some greenery around your front door suggests to the naked eye that you take care of your property and look after your home, so look into some potted plants to go outside your front door. Hanging baskets are another option if ground space is limited.

4) Window dressing
The windows on your front room are another area where little touches can make a big difference. Have a look into replacing your curtains or blinds with lined alternatives for a tidy appearance, or, if your windows aren’t providing you with sufficient insulation, you could even look at replacing them altogether.

5) Night Lights
Finally, take a look at the area around your front door at night and imagine how much more welcoming it could be with a bit of light. An outdoor power supply will help if you’re looking to install something akin to a classic-style lamp, but you needn’t go overboard; a solar-powered light is easy to install, charges itself during the day and won’t cost you extra!

Murcia International Airport adding more flights and La Manga bus

 

With Summer just around the corner, Murcia International Airport is set to increase its flight schedule. The airport's opening in January has been a steady success, but Saturday 30th March represented a large increase in activity with 20 flights coming in and out of the region.

Flight routes are now up and running from East Midlands Airport, Lees-Bradford, London-Southend, Birmingham, Stansted and Gatwick, alongside Dublin and Manchester. 

 

Not only that, but a new bus service has been created that will link Murcia International Airport with La Manga Club for the first time, making it even easier for homeowners, renters and holidaymakers to make their way to the area. 

 

For more information, please click here. 

What are the biggest put-offs when viewing properties?

 

When trying to sell a property we all do our best to make sure our home is in tip-top shape and that we present it in the best light possible.

The little things can go a long way when it comes to selling a home and what may look like minor issues to you could be deal breakers to a potential buyer.

ScS recently surveyed several prospective buyers with the goal of discovering the biggest turn-offs when viewing a property.

Whenever you’re selling a home, making each room feel as spacious as possible is key to the sale, so it comes as no surprise that the number 1 turn off is clutter or obvious lack of storage, with 41% of survey participants stating that they would be put off a property which is clearly lacking for space.

Not very far behind at all and chosen by 40% of participants was pets, bad smells and general mess, as it appears that the thought of lasting damage from pets and odours is a big enough deal breaker for some buyers.

Continuing the theme of wear and tear and chosen by 36% of those who took part in the survey was old/damaged carpets, flooring can be quite costly to replace so it is understandable that a worn-out rug could ruin a viewing.

The kitchen is arguably the most important room in a home when it comes to a viewing as if it’s not to the buyers liking, it's easily one of the most expensive rooms to renovate. This holds true according to the results of the survey, as 35% of people said they would not buy a home if they were not a fan of the kitchen.

Coming in at 5th place was being near a main road, as one-third of us (33%) prefer a home in a more secluded spot away from noisy traffic.

The study also found which features were considered ‘must-have’ with 57% searching for a home with the right number of bedrooms, 40% looking for off-street parking, 32% wanting a well-maintained garden and a similar number of participants looking for new windows and a new kitchen, chosen by 31% and 30% respectively.