In contrast to the past few years, it’s now a buyers’ market in lots of parts of the country – just how are you able to help make your property stay ahead of everyone else?
There are 17.5% more homes for sale within the southern regions – including London, East of England, the East and the The west – than the same time last year, meaning those buying within the south are able to afford to be choosier.
The number of homes for sale in the northern regions of the UK, meanwhile, have reduced by 4.3%, data from Rightmove shows, shifting the market towards sellers and nudging up prices.
But no matter where you reside, if you’re hoping to sell your home quickly and for the best price you’ll desire to make it as being appealing as you possibly can to buyers.
Below, we reveal the important thing characteristics that buyers are currently searching for, plus tips on how to sell your home faster.
What are homebuyers searching for in a property?
Property portal Zoopla has released a list of the very best terms buyers are searching once they use its website. So if you can ensure your property listing contains these words, you can attract clients who wouldn’t otherwise have found your home.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, spacious homes were most in demand, with the word ‘detached’ topping the list on most common search terms and ‘annex’ and ‘garden’ also featuring within the top ten. Similarly, terms suggesting the countryside – including ‘cottage’, ‘acres’ and ‘rural’ – all proved popular.
People were also concerned about their cars, with both ‘garage’ and ‘parking’ appearing in the most sought-after terms.
Interestingly, a high number of people searched for a ‘bungalow’. These properties constitute just 10% of British homes, based on the last British Housing Survey, and only a little number are being built – meaning bungalow owners might be located on a well known commodity.
‘Freehold property’ also proved popular, as buyers become increasingly aware of the pitfalls of buying leasehold homes.
The top 10 search phrases for buyers using Zoopla are listed below:
- detached
- garage
- bungalow
- parking
- annex
- garden
- freehold
- cottage
- acres
- rural.
What do buyers want in each region?
Some features and characteristics were sought after over the UK – garages and detached homes, for example. However, many search terms were unique to a particular areas.
In London, a substantial quantity of buyers searched for houseboats, while flats having a balcony were also on the wish list.
Buyers in the East of England were in the market for barn conversions, while those who work in the North West hoped for a cellar.
Conservatories proved popular in four regions – its northern border West, West Midlands, East Midlands and Yorkshire & the Humber – while sea views were particularly desired in Wales, the The west and the East.
You can hover your cursor within the map below to discover the top 10 property search terms in your region.
How to sell your house faster
The key to selling your house quickly is understanding the neighborhood market.
If your home has features which are valued by buyers in your town, and there aren’t many similar properties available, you may be in a position to sell for a premium.
On the other hand, if there are plenty of homes like yours on the market and only a handful of buyers, you may need to decrease your expectations of selling price if you want to move sooner rather than later.
As a general rule, when setting an selling price you should think about:
It’s a good idea to ask a few local estate agents to give you a valuation, too, as they’ll be clued up on the local market.
You will discover more in our guide to what your house is worth.
