With the coronavirus epidemic halting most industries around the world, the number of Canadian homes bought and sold in the last few months has fallen to a record low. As restrictions are eased and people begin to get used to the “new normal,” there’s still a lot of uncertainty around jobs and the economy as a whole. While some businesses will be able to pick up from where they left off, there is no telling when people will feel confident to move homes once again.
With fewer people looking to buy, it could be even harder to sell a home. If you’re looking to sell this year, here are three ways you could improve your prospects.
Offer virtual viewings
When it comes to moving home, you might think most people are just moving to the other side of their current town or city because they want more space. Some people will, of course, be moving from further away and viewings in person may not be practical. New research has found the cost of living in Canada has fallen compared to other countries, so many people living across the other side of the world could be tempted to buy your home. With universal healthcare, beautiful scenery, and a high standard of living, Canada has always been a popular place for people to emigrate to.
The coronavirus has proven that online conferencing tools are a simple way to broadcast from the inside of your house. Offering people the chance to view your home via Zoom could make your home stand out to a much wider audience across the world. It might sound more complicated and time-consuming to sell to someone living far away, but tasks that used to be logistical nightmares will no longer add weeks onto the process. Once the contracts have been signed, some of the best shipping countries can now even begin shipping huge amounts of furniture on safely protected pallets within a week.
Make the most of your outdoor space
The coronavirus lockdown has changed many aspects of our lives. For most of us, the only escape from our homes was into our gardens. This means people have been spending more time than ever in their gardens, whether that’s socializing, exercising, or just enjoying the fresh air. Our gardens have taken on a new importance, so it’s never been more vital for yours to shine when selling your home. In fact, research by estate agents in the UK has found that access to a garden is now the most popular reason for people looking for a new home.
Luckily, the garden is one of those places where you can make the maximum impact with minimum investment. Your first task is to make sure that it looks as tidy as possible. Trim back any overgrown bushes or plants. Gardens can also become a dumping ground for waste, so make sure you have a big clear out before a viewing. Once it’s tidy, it’s time to add some color. If your fence is looking faded, a tin of paint can transform the whole feel of a garden. If there are bald patches in your lawn, grass seed is a very cheap and simple way to make your lawn look refreshed. Once that’s all done make sure your estate agent makes the most of it. If the weather is dark, damp, or even worse, the ground is snow-covered on the day they come round to take photos, ask them to come another day to retake them.
Tidy up
When you’re buying a house, most of the time you’re only buying four walls, a floor, and a roof. While most of the furniture won’t be there once your buyer moves in, it can still be a common reason for people deciding not to purchase a house. Too much furniture can make your room look too small, and the placement of the furniture can be important, too. Every room has several focal points, which your seating should face. Identify yours and make sure your furniture faces the right way.
When someone looks at your home, they want to envisage themselves living there. While you don’t want the rooms to look cluttered, it is important that you have some possessions there. If you’re selling a room as a bedroom, it’s important that it has a bed, a wardrobe, and maybe even a bedside table with a few possessions on the side. If there’s anything else in there that shouldn’t be, consider whether you can throw it away, sell it on, or even hide it at a friend’s house until you’ve sold your home.
