How to Sell Your High End Property Faster

Sell High End Homes

It is a fact that any point of time, only a small amount of people can afford to buy multi-crore properties – more so in a challenging market. You may assume that buyers are spoilt for choice only in the mass housing market but even in the category of high end homes, buyers have a great number of choices in terms. As luxury real estate consultants, we like to get into the mind of a typical luxury home buyer. We like to think of the factors that would convince a luxury home buyer to choose one property over another.

First things first, the potential buyer will obviously take note of the seller’s asking price. Also the condition of the property as well as the general condition of the property will be noted – both in personal or through online pictures and videos.

My goal as an agent is to positively enhance the feeling that the buyer gets when he / she enters the property that we have listed on our website. I want the buyer to feel comfortable, welcome and at ease when inspecting the property. I am not saying that the seller needs to completely rehaul and renovate the property before intending to sell the property. But what I am saying is that the elements that create a good ambience as well as special features of the property must be shown in the most impressive manner. If you are a seller trying to sell off your high end home, you must remember that the number of high end listings that are available is always more than the number of buyers who have the moolah to buy these high end homes. If you want to sell your home faster and at a higher price then you could consider home staging.

Home Staging

Home Staging is recent concept in India though it has been popular in the US and Europe for almost two decades. Home staging is the act of preparing a home for sale and make it attractive to potential buyers and investors. The idea is to make your home more appealing to a large number of potential buyers which in effect can drive up the price of your property and make it sell faster. Staging can help improve the visual appeal of your home by transforming it into a warm and welcoming product that anybody would desire. You could use paintings, sculptures, lighting, greenery and carpeting to stage your house and give potential buyers a highly attractive first impression of your property.

God is in the Details

You usually do not get a second chance to make a great impression on someone. Walk through your property and and take a good look at all the elements starting from the exterior to the interior. If it is a bungalow, then take a good look around and ask the following questions:

How is the landscaping?
Is the home hidden by overgrown bushes and trees?
Is the house too dark and hidden from sunlight?

For bungalow owners, it is advisable to get a pruning and trimming job done for all the trees, plants and shrubs. Neatly trimmed plants and flowerbeds make a great impression. The home inside must be devoid of any stale odours. I have been for home inspections where as soon as I walk into the house, I am hit with smells like a hammer on the head! Unsavoury smells emanating from kitchens, shoes, smoking or pets must be eliminated. Windows must be washed inside out and the floors must be waxed and polished. Ceilings must be inspected for cracks, discoloration and signs of water leaks.

Also your house must look clutter free. If you have decided that you are going to move, you might as well get rid of all your unused items. Take a look at the furniture arrangement in every room. A lot of times in most houses there is usually excess furniture. We would suggest that you remove some of the larger pieces of furniture and sell it or put it in storage. High wattage bulbs must be installed for maximum brightness. This is because many a times when we bring a client for an inspection, it may be dark and cloudy outside and the brighter the home is, the better it is to have a well-lit home.

I once inspected a property that was to be listed with us. It was an ornate 10,000 sq. ft. home that was immaculately designed and constructed. The artwork was exquisite – paintings and statues of nudes everywhere I looked! Such things can always distract a potential buyer. If I were that owner, I would rather install artwork that was more conservative. I recommend that sellers put away things and items that might be distracting while the house is listed for sale.

There was one more bizarre incident concerning paintings. An apartment owner had a portrait painting of a woman in one of the rooms. There were strict instructions – passed from two previous owners – to never remove that painting failing which the ghost of the woman would be angry! And hell hath no fury like a ghost scorned! We did manage to sell the house and the next buyer took our advice very seriously and decided not to upset the ghost. The portrait of the woman stays on in that house to this very day!

High End Homes Must Look & Smell Good

Another time a few years ago, we had to sell a sea facing bungalow in Juhu, Mumbai. The bungalow had a number of basement rooms and inside were a large number of taxidermied animals. One room had animals of all sizes including the roaring tiger’s head and an open-jawed crocodile. All of this stuff eventually had to be moved out. We had to convince the seller that all the property needed to go before putting the property out on the market. A smart home owner will always listen to reason and do the right thing which makes it easier to sell his property on the market. One good thing about owners of high end homes is that they have made their money by understanding money and marketing and they understand the right elements for marketing something be it a product, service or their own home.

Families spend a lot of emphasis on the kitchen and it is important to give the kitchen special attention. All kitchen appliances including ovens, microwaves and the refrigerator must be thoroughly cleaned and maintained in that way the entire time it is on the market. Absolutely everything can be put away must be put away. Get small baskets and put all small items inside them rather than have them strewn around. Also it is important to check for loose doors and drawer handles and get all scratches and stain marks repaired and cleaned.

As a seller, you might think that I am overdoing it with this level of detail. But like I mentioned earlier, the better your house looks to a potential buyer the more appealing your house will be and the more the chances of your sale happening quicker.

If you have a high end apartment in Mumbai to sell, please read more details on our Sell Property Section of our website.

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Chloe Dodd

Real Estate Agent at Gupta & Sen

Chloe is a real estate advisor with Gupta & Sen. With a combined experience of over 15 years in varied industries, she is a vocal and knowledgeable ally for buyers and investors who want to make informed choices when buying a property in India. With superlative communication and marketing skills, Chloe handles our PR, real estate marketing strategy and client management.