PRESENTING A COSTA BLANCA PROPERTY FOR SALE 
Aim to present an
Airy, Bright, Spacious and Well Kept Property
A villa or apartment presented
in this way quickly attracts a buyer and stands a good chance of arriving on their short
list. First impressions are very important as foreign buyers are often on a brief Costa
Blanca visit and have to cover a lot of ground in a few days.
Costa Blanca Property For Sale
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How do I prepare my property?
Exterior:
A well kept Mediterranean
garden can be very attractive so trim hedges, clear paths, and if the garden is short of
colour, maybe add some potted Geraniums at entrances or on window ledges. These give a
very Mediterranean feel and help your sale.
Clear away your home's
garden and pool equipment, toys and any bric a brac and put it in a basement or store. The
same goes for dog's bowls and left over building materials that can be neatly stacked in a
garage or beside a wall.
Make sure that your
property's street gate opens correctly with it's bolt without catching or scraping and
that the bell works. These are small repairs that may have been delayed, but now is the
time to do them. If any paint is flaking or missing on fences or gates touch it up or re
do it. Bright Spanish ironwork gates and lamps are a feature worth showing on your home.
The entrance door to a
property is very important. It needs to be fresh with paint or varnish and have handles
and locks that work easily. Entrance decoration will also help here, using, again, for
example, Spanish wrought iron lamps and potted plants if there is room.
Anything that is visibly
broken like perhaps shutters or step tiles, needs to be repaired or replaced. If it isn't,
the buyer will assume that the rest of your home is not in good condition.
Interior: The
words here are spacious, bright and clean.
Spacious: Any living space
can be made more attractive by removing clutter. There may be useful extra cabinets,
sideboards and wardrobes etc. but they don't make a living-room, bedroom or terrace look
any better. If the priority is to sell the house, then these items have to be sold or
removed to a garage or rented storage. The result is an attractive living space that is
nearer the way the architect planned it.
Bright: Traditional Spanish
villas often feature dark wood beams, shutters and doors. This isn't a problem as these
are desirable features in a property, especially when they combine, as they often do, with
a traditional stone fireplace. However, the varnish or polish needs to be bright even on
older furniture or woodwork to give an antique but well kept appearance. All the shutters
and blinds need to be opened and potted Geraniums can be especially effective here giving
a homely splash of colour against the Spanish ironwork.
If the interior hasn't been painted recently, now is the time to do it. For a relatively
small cost the villa will be freshened up and look "like new". In kitchens and
bathrooms, things tend to collect on tops. It's best to clear most of them and neatly
store away the various items to leave clear surfaces. Put fresh towels and soap in the
bathroom. Fix dripping taps with new washers and oil squeaking hinges.
- Clean and Quiet: Barking dogs, children
running around and switched on televisions don't help to sell property. Typical buyers are
likely to be distracted, so it's best for the sale (if not for the children and animals)
to switch off the T.V. and lodge the children and animals with a friend for a short while
until the visit is over.
A thorough clean is essential, paying attention to the kitchen and bathroom. If the chrome
on the appliances and bathroom fittings shines, and all the windows and mirrors are bright
and clear, the property will inevitably look better. It is particularly important to
remove any grease stains in the kitchen but also in more unfamiliar places like light
switches and door handles.
Renovation Prior to Selling: Everyone has
heard stories about professional"fixer uppers", however the benefits of
"fixing up" are not so clear if the aim is to profit from the renovation. On
1970's Costa Blanca properties it is best to repair or replace anything that is broken
such as shutters, tiles or kitchen work surfaces, but it usually isn't worth doing more
apart from painting and tidying. The lower price will be a selling point and the new
owners will probably want to do a complete renovation to their own taste anyway.
1980's villas can benefit from renovation on kitchens and bathrooms, especially if they
are otherwise well presented with a pool and perhaps double glazing.
On newer properties, adding extras is almost always a waste of money as floor area vs.
price will always be a main criterion in making a decision.
Selling Costa Blanca Property
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