How to Sell an Apartment at the Best Price?
You've decided to sell your apartment but you don't know where to start or how to get the best price. These are such problems faced by everyone who sells real estate for the first time. In this article, we will provide advice to help you prepare your home for sale and get the highest possible price.
Minor Repairs Can Increase the Price of an Apartment
Before setting the price of your apartment, do everything possible to maximize it. At the very least, eliminate any reason for potential buyers to lower the price below market value.
Preparing the apartment for sale is an important step and can positively influence its value. Start with a thorough inspection of the property and make a list of the most important tasks to prevent your apartment from losing value. Look at the property through the eyes of a buyer, not as the owner or seller. Identify things that you would not enjoy if you were buying those square meters.
Primarily, it is about minor repairs – for minimal cost, turn your home into a "gem". For example, re-glue wallpapers that have not stood the test of time. Refresh the peeling paint in visible places. Check the walls and ceiling for cracks and fix defects if needed. Restoring worn out floors can also much improve the buyer's impression of the property's condition. Don't forget to repair windowsills, as they always catch the eye.
Neglecting minor technical malfunctions can negatively affect the presentability of the apartment for sale. So, ensure all systems (heating, water heating, air conditioning) and appliances in the apartment work properly. Check the neat appearance of electrical outlets, whether the kitchen faucet is leaking, or if mold has marred the appearance of the bathroom. The buyer should be sure that he won’t need to repair anything – they can move in and live immediately.
Cleanliness Means More Than You Think
Even if you don't like cleaning, it's something you must do to get the best price offer. Unlike repair work before selling, cleaning should not be superficial but thorough. At such a crucial moment, your dwelling must be as clean and tidy as never before.
Thoroughly clean all rooms, vacuum in the most inaccessible corners, meticulously wash window panes and mirrors, polish faucets and kitchen devices to a shine. Everything should sparkle like new - in the eyes of the buyer, this will make your apartment look fresher and more attractive. Do not forget to wipe the dust, remove stains in visible places, and please, leave no cobwebs in the corners because the buyer, looking for faults in your apartment, is likely to look everywhere. You might quickly fix the problem later, but the bad impression will still remain.
Of course, you can choose not to bother with cleaning yourself and hire a cleaning company instead. In Kyiv, prices for such services start from 4,000 UAH.
Even if you are living in the apartment, minimize the number of personal items in visible places. For instance, hide unnecessary jackets and shoes from the hallway, remove family photos from shelves, and generally tidy up the interior as much as possible. These measures not only add neatness to the dwelling but also stir pleasant fantasies in the potential buyers: they will enjoy imagining themselves in this space, mentally arranging their staff in the apartment.
Be sure to not only air out the dwelling but also eliminate distinctive odors that have been formed over decades by your or your ancestors' lifestyle. A persistent smell of naphthalene can deter even a very interested buyer. Scent is not a rubbish, but an important aspect that affects the price of the housing.
Preparing the Apartment for a Photoshoot
For the sale announcement, it's important to have quality photographs of the apartment. Since the announcement is an advertisement, it's acceptable and even necessary to embellish everything to present your home in the best light.
To make the picture look good, remove all unnecessary items from view. When photographing rooms, only leave the furniture that highlights the space. For example, a large wardrobe will make your living room cozier but visually steal the square meters you are selling. Hopefully, you've already removed grandma's rugs from the walls.
Try to create a pleasant atmosphere in the apartment. This can be achieved by adding beautiful plants, flowers, stylish details like paintings or decorative pillows. Modern, thoughtful decor usually attracts buyers.
Lighting plays a very important role - both in photography and in showing the apartment to potential buyers. Therefore, ensure bright lighting in every room, open the curtains (we remember that you've already cleaned the windows).
Of course, you can take the photos yourself, but it's better to use the services of a professional photographer who will set the lighting correctly and find the best angle for shooting. By the way, such services are now provided by real estate agencies. For example, in Kyiv, you can turn to AXIS Real Estate.
Why Do You Need a Realtor?
How is the price of an apartment for sale usually determined in Ukraine? People look at ads on specialized online platforms or in newspapers. They try to find a similar apartment in their area, with the same square footage and condition, and base their price on that. They also find out how much a neighbor or acquaintance sold their apartment for. All these actions fit into the concept of market research. However, such research is of little value, as it's unprofessional and superficial. When dealing with large sums of money, one must approach the matter seriously, and a realtor is indispensable for selling apartments.
Consulting a real estate agency is a wise decision for several reasons. First, a realtor will help you Sell Your Apartment In Kyiv more profitably, although they will take a commission. A professional knows exactly how much a square meter in your type of building costs in all areas of Kyiv – if you're selling property in the capital. The realtor will adjust the price based on the condition of the apartment and leave some space for negotiation.
Real estate agency managers have an access to various information platforms and resources to promote your apartment, including online ads, social networks, and other advertising channels. Additionally, realtors will offer your apartment to potential buyers from their database whose criteria match your apartment – this can significantly increase interest in your property. Often, this way a buyer is found.
Realtors typically filter potential buyers, so you don't waste time on non-serious individuals who don't know what they want. Real estate agency representatives can negotiate on your behalf with real interested parties and help achieve the best sale conditions.
Another important aspect is the legal support of the purchase-sale transaction. A realtor will professionally handle this, saving you a hassle. He will prepare the appropriate contract, handle interactions with a lawyer and notary. Ultimately, you will avoid any mistakes and risks associated with selling real estate. Overall, turning to a realtor significantly eases the sales process and ensures a successful transaction.
Shout out to the best!
In Kyiv, almost all real estate is sold through agencies. AXIS Real Estate Kyiv holds a significant share of this market. They employ specially trained valuation experts who are well-versed in the Kyiv real estate market and consistently provide legal support for transactions. AXIS Real Estate has a developed marketing plan for promoting apartments, including advertising on leading real estate portals. This is another plus of the agency.
It's important that the entire real estate sales process is under the control of professionals. Lawyers will fully check the object of the sale-purchase: not only the documents confirming ownership rights but also for any prohibitions, arrests, mortgages. They also verify the legal powers of the signatories and draft a contract with maximum protection for the parties. AXIS Real Estate also offers free consultations on taxation because taxes, state duty, and two fees need to be paid when concluding a sale-purchase agreement.
"In addition to the usual realtor support in such cases, we involve a professional lawyer, but we do not charge an additional fee for this – the lawyer's work is included in the realtor's commission," said the manager/director of AXIS Real Estate Dyakonova Lyudmila.
Sell your properties at a profit!
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