Five Things That Can Stop a House Sale in Its Tracks

Many are the times when a deal appears on the verge of being struck only for an issue to arise that kills the entire thing and leads to the sales process slowing down considerably.

With these tips you should be able to catch a few potential deal breakers before they ever become an issue, so make sure that all of the below is remedied before you try to sell your property.

Structural Issues

At times the temptation can be to neglect mentioning structural issues that the property may suffer from, as knowing there is a problem could lead to a potential buyer being put off. However, the opposite is also true. Not knowing there is an issue, only to discover there is one later, could lead to the buyer losing trust in you and the property. This can be remedied by ensuring that your estate agent is fully aware of problems such as damp or other issues and in many cases it is best to try and have these issues remedied beforehand.

Odours

Many people love to keep pets in their houses but most buyers don’t want to be able to smell them when they are looking around. Odours can be a little difficult to detect in cases where you have been living with them for years, so it is best to freshen up the entire property before holding a viewing. Open windows up and use the appropriate cleaning products to deal with any problem areas. Ideally the home should smell as fresh as possible to make a good impression.

Sloppiness

Cleanliness is a virtue and that goes doubly when you are trying to sell your property. Remember that you need to present the home in the best possible light, so leaving dirty dishes or laundry in plain sight can instantly put a buyer off. Make sure that everything is neat and tidy and that all rooms are arranged so that they look the best that they possibly can. Otherwise you may find you chase the buyer away before you can even start selling.

Ownership Issues

Many properties have minor issues when it comes to what is owned and by whom. Examples include the next door neighbours owning the fence that borders the garden, or an external company owning the land itself. Ensure all of this is clear with the buyer, as if they find something that they believed they would own is actually owned by somebody else they may feel as though they have been misled.

Paperwork

Issues such as planning permissions for any extensions built or other important pieces of paperwork must be disclosed as early as possible in the process to ensure that the buyer knows exactly what they would be getting. Again your estate agent will be able to help you with this and will advise you on what pieces of paperwork need to be prepared to ensure the