House: Home or Asset?

House. Home or Asset?

The answer is, of course, it’s usually both. However, the two have very different meanings and connotations. When you think of a home, you think of a haven, something very dear and intrinsic to our feeling of well-being, security and happiness. It is also something very personal, a showcase of our tastes and, to a degree, an extension of our personalities. Whereas an asset is almost the complete opposite, something cold and unfeeling, generally viewed only in terms of monetary value.

However, for most of us, our home is our biggest asset. So what happens when we come to sell?

The house that has been a home for often many years now needs to be viewed as an asset for which we need to maximise its value, and understandably, many sellers find it difficult to make that transition and ‘shift the mindset’. Indeed, when an Estate Agent arrives and advises the client that they should present their house neutrally and perhaps make a few changes to “maximise the sell-ability”, the client may see this as a slight on their tastes and a criticism of their taste in decor!

However, the fact is we’re all different and whilst it is (just) possible that you will find a house buyer with the exact same tastes as yourself, who just happens to be in the market for a house around your selling price at the exact time you are selling, the chance of this happening is incredibly slim. The best chance of selling your house for the best possible price is to make it appealing to as many people as possible so that you hopefully have a high number of interested parties. By no means make the house devoid of all character and charm – those are attributes that are hugely desirable and will help sell a property – however buyers can often find it difficult to see past strong design choices and a surfeit of personal belongings, and need to be able to see how easy (or not!) it would be to tune the house to their tastes, and to “put their own stamp/mark” on it.

As with many things in life, it’s all about balance, and at Fiuran Property you can rely on our experience to guide you with the presentation of your house so that it’s just right, helping you achieve a swift and successful sale, so that you can get on with the fun task of creating your next home!