Flower Power – 7 ways to boost your chances of a property sale

Sometimes it is the little touches that can make a big difference with your house sale.  Here are my 7 ways you can utilise flowers to make sure your property stands out. (Plus my 3 bonus tips at the end!)

Lavender. The smell that sells

Perfume your pathways

The front of your house is the first things a potential buyer will see so their approach to the front door can be assisted with some great flower aromas.  Try using an English Lavender to really lift their sense of smell and it adds a great colour punch too. 

Clever Colour

Boost your home & your mood 

Being clever with your flower colours can really lift a room.  Have you got a wallpaper that is multi-coloured?  Pick one of the less used colours and match to your flowers.  This is a great way to really pull a room together and will show the buyers that you really care about your house.  Add further accessories in the same hue to balance out the room & really get that wow factor your buyers will remember.

Heal Your House

It is true that having plants in your house give you a cleaner air and bring peace and tranquility.  You must, however, look after them.  Are yours a little worse for wear?  Treat your house plant leaves to the underside of a banana skin.  It cleans and polishes then when your done bury it in the soil and it acts as a fertilizer.  <<Thrifty bonus points!

Conceal your bins & break up bare walls

Bamboo: modern and fast

Screening works wonders, you can use a climbing plant on a trellis.  Try a Clematis plant to disguise those ghastly bins or try a modern tall ready made bamboo in a large pot.  This can also be taken with you when you move. Bonus!  See how this Morecambe homeowner has screened the neighbours to add interest and privacy.

Plant up some pots

Get your green fingers out.  Now is the perfect time to add some flowers to an otherwise dull garden. We are seeing more sun, less frost and spring has arrived.  So give you garden a spring lease of life.  The brighter the better to bring a cheery atmosphere to your outside space. 

Super Centre Pieces

Simple yet stylish

Your dining table and dining room can sometimes look formal and cold.  Give it some personality and arrange a centre piece to be proud of.  From simple to bold.  Show your style in a piece that compliments your home.  These simple carnations have made a simple yet stylish accompaniment to the room 

Fragrant Flowers

The smell of a house can really influence a buyers decision try some scented flowers to freshen things up.  Hyacinths are extremely fragrant, Lillies look spectacular but can give off a scent that may divide your buyers, try lavender in the bedroom or these other florists favourites : stock, freesia, lilacs, gardenia and peony.

 

My Three Bonus tips:

1 - To make your flowers last longer don’t put your vase of flowers in direct sunlight

2 - Keep them off windowsills as they will block that all important natural light that you need whilst selling.

3 - Perk up your flowers with lemonade.  Pour directly into the water of the vase.

Happy planting.  

We give out FREE advice just like this when you book a FREE moving appraisal.  Interested?  

Call Victoria now to book on 01524 230722.

Are Aldi and Lidl an Estate Agents worst Enemy or biggest Ally?

It has been in the news this weekend that Aldi and Lidl have been taking the market share of food shopping and Thursday’s (13^th March 2014) announcement should see supermarket giant Morrisons, following the announcement of their falling profits, fighting to bring back their customers.  They will follow the likes of ASDA giving bigger discounts and better offers to try and recover their falling customer base.

This is not the only place where price matters.  It is also a very interesting debate in Estate Agents too.

Quality is clearly not defined by price

Quality is not defined by price

Aldi have had a big advertising campaign recently which has shown that in independent taste tests they have been coming out on top of the likes of Harrod’s and Fortnum & Mason for quality.  The products from the latter 2 companies cost as much as 8 times more than the former.

Is this fair?  Why are these companies charging so much more for a product that simply isn’t better quality as the price leads you to believe?

Can this be applied to your Estate Agent?  I certainly think so.

What Aldi and Lidl have done is identify what the consumer wants.  They want the same product at a better price. After all why should the consumer line the pockets of the big companies? 

The only real winner in this price war is the consumer. 

In a time where frugality is of necessity, in a time where we have seen the cost of living increase quicker than the take home pay for many, the cost of an Estate Agent has long been perceived as you get what you pay for.  I’m not so sure, that really sticks anymore.  I think Aldi and Lidl have stood this concept on its head and succeeded. 

Prices are an interesting debate among Estate Agents as the price module of the long standing agent comes into question.  The market share of estate agents has long belonged to independents and small chains that set their own prices, are these prices fair?  

Maybe the downshift challenge that Martin Lewis refers to,  for money saving should be applied.  After all, it works when you move to Aldi.
 

(I must point out that there are regional variations that mean overheads are more expensive and price fluctuations cannot be avoided.)

I’m sure the German supermarkets have raised a very valid point about overpaying for a similar and certainly a less superior product.  But how will you feel about Morrisons on Thursday?  Let’s say they do launch a fight back campaign and slash their prices, has their integrity taken a nosedive?  I’m sure if I shopped at Morrisons regularly and then they decided they could afford to drastically slash their prices I would be more than a little irritated.  I mean, have they really been overcharging me for all those products all along? 

 

Who knows.  All I can say is, the more expensive independents may have a fight on their hands if Aldi and Lidl shelve Estate Agent services next to the baked beans.  I’m not worried, I have lower fees and bigger service already. 

Victoria

I'm Victoria and I run an independent Estate Agency that covers Morecambe, Lancaster, Carnforth, Burton in Kendal and Milnthorpe. Our prices are low and our service is high.  We believe in quality over quantity and this shows.  Why not give me a call on 01524 230722 to see what we can do for you.