Tips and techniques to increase the selling price of your house in Languedoc

We all get used to out houses being the way they are. When you're getting ready to sell your house in the Aude you need to look at it throught the eyes of a prospective buyer.

Easier said than done. It's tough to be neutral about your own house. We're either too negative or two positive. Rarely are we realistic about what our homeis like and whether it will appear to a prospective buyer.

In the Aude there's the added challenge of buyer expectations, the perfect French property dream.

Here are some things you can do before you advertise the house for sale in order to get the best price possible:

• Do any small repairs that you've been putting off.
• If you have any finishing work to do, do it. You may know that it's just a couple of days of work but a buyer may see it as a deal stopper.
• If your roof is leaking get it repaired.
• If there are any stains on the ceiling or walls make sure you seal and paint them.
• If you're selling a house that is partly renovated make sure that it looks as welcoming and as much a home as possible.
• If you have a lot of furniture in small rooms take some of it out. Make the house look as spacious as possible.
• Put away all clutter before you let anyone take pictures.

Things you can do while your house is on the market in order to get the best price possible:

• Keep the house tidy. Everyone knows you live there but try and keep clothes put away, towels hung up, dishes off the counters, magazines in a neat pile, books on a shelf.
• If it's winter keep the house warm.
• If it's summer keep the house cool.
• Open the shutters and curtains before someone visits the house.
• If you have a garden make sure it's tidied.
• If you're not living in the house arrange for someone to go in periodically and air out the house, dust, and tidy the garden.
• If you're selling your property privately then you'll need to go through the house with prospective buyers. If not, let the estate agent take the visitors through the house.
• Have tax information available - a copy of the previous year's taxe d'habitation and taxe foncière - as well as a copy of the cadastral plan.
• Answer all questions honestly. Don't answer questions that people haven't asked.

We're here to help you sell your property in the Aude. Contact us to arrange a visit.

Make sure you attend to everything necessary when selling your property in France.