Every property is as unique as its owner and no one knows your home better than you do.

When it comes to marketing your property, we focus on finding out what makes living in your home so great and build our marketing plan around it.

However, there are some tips and tricks that you can put in place before putting your property on the market that will help to get you sale ready and we also have some small pearls of wisdom from our, quite frankly, brilliant Triennial experts on things to consider when selling your home.

LESS IS MORE

When the day comes for us to take photographs of your property, we want to show it looking its best – this means de-cluttering and de-personalising it. Give your property a critical once-over and hide away dad’s mountain bike in the spare room, move mum’s golf clubs from the corner of the kitchen and have a real tidy up of little Jane’s and Bob’s bedrooms. What we are trying to say is help us to help buyers see your property in its best light. Having clean and tidy rooms not only makes the photo far more appealing and shows off the size of the room, but it allows buyers to imagine their own possessions there too.

TO QUOTE CATCHPHRASE "SAY WHAT YOU SEE"

When buyers are sitting at their laptop looking at your property, they want to be able to see exactly what room they are looking at. They don’t want to be second guessing if it is a utility room or guest bedroom. So, ensure each room shows its purpose and value within the property, we don’t want buyers to think it is just a dumping ground or pointless space.

SPACE MAN

This can be a tricky one, especially if you have smaller rooms. Try not to overcrowd rooms with too much “stuff” or big, bulky furniture, as this will make them look smaller. For the photographs try to ensure your rooms look as spacious and light as possible.

TETRIS LEVEL? EXPERT!

Utilise all cupboards and shelves. Pack away clutter, shoes and dishes to give a sense of ample storage. Whether buyers are looking for relocation options, second homes or holiday getaways the one thing they will all be looking for is plenty of storage. If they see overflowing coffee tables or kitchen counters covered in items, this will give off an impression of limited storage.

Clear away clutter and food (a bowl of fresh fruit is ok!), and give the impression of a healthy, happy space. Don’t forget the bathrooms - tidy away bottles and creams and display some fresh, neatly folded towels.

POSTIVE FIRST IMPRESSIONS

As with meeting people for the first time, seeing a property for the first time also needs to leave the buyer with a positive feel – even in the world of real estate there is no second chance to make a great first impression. Presentation needn't be time-consuming or expensive, but it does, in every single case, make the whole difference.

Cleaning up the entrance to your property goes a long way. Is your doormat looking a bit tired, have the local spiders found a haven for their webs above your door or are last year’s autumn leaves in the hallway? Think about how you saw your property the first time and glam it up a little.

LIGHTS, CAMERA, ACTION!

Lighting is super important, it can bring out your properties best side, or it can completely turn people off if rooms look dark and badly lit. Bare or missing light bulbs have the same unkempt effect.

Well-placed lighting gives a feeling of freshness and cleanliness. Ensure there is adequate lighting in the kitchen and office, but avoid harsh light in bedrooms and areas of relaxation.

Even though we have 300 days of sunshine a year in the Algarve there may be days when we come to view your property with clients and it isn’t brilliant sunshine, on these days keep lights on for viewings – especially in rooms that don’t have an abundance of natural light.

SMELLING GOOD

We’ve all heard about brewing fresh coffee or baking a loaf of bread before buyers arrive, and if you have time then these are not bad ideas as having a good smelling property does help to give a great impression. However, if baking isn’t your thing, then there are a few other things you can do to appeal to the buyers’ sense of smell. Open the windows and doors before viewings, make use of ‘plug-ins’ or light some scented candles. Place plants or flowers throughout your home. It doesn’t need to be a rainforest (remember the clutter!) but it will help make your home look more inviting, fresh and can make it smell beautiful.

PRACTICALLY PERFECT IN EVERY WAY

We want you to be able to achieve the best price possible for your property - loose door handles, small scuffs, peeling paint or an un-hinged garden gate all suggest that work needs to be done and this could be used to negotiate on the price, so make sure everything is in order. A little time and money spent now, will mean an offer at the asking price later.

If you have a garden or outside space, make sure that it is as neat and tidy as the inside – cut the grass, pick up the leaves and trim back the plants.

PAPERWORK

Now your property is looking its best and we are on our way to take the photos, ensure you have all the necessary documentation you need to sell your home. What you need is listed below. Don’t worry if you don’t have everything, we will support you in acquiring any missing documentation or, if you have a lawyer, instruct them to prepare everything so that we can start to advertise your property without any delay.

It is helpful if you can gather the following documentation prior to our visit. The sooner we have all the information the sooner we can start to market your property to our clients.

Here is what you will need:

• Copy of Passport or ID card
• Fiscal Number
• Certidão do Registo Predial - Land Registry Certificate. You can request a permanent land record certificate and simplified land information through the Predial Online website: http://www.predialonline.mj.pt
• Caderneta Predial or Caderneta Rustica - Financial Certificate. This document may be requested from any tax office (finanças) or via the tax authority website: http://www.portaldasfinancas.gov.pt/at/html/index.html
• Licença de Habitação/Utilização - Habitation Licence. This is to certify that the house is built according the building regulations and match architectural drawings approved by the Townhall (Câmara Municipal) For buildings other than a house, a Usage licence (Licença de Utilização) is needed. These documents are obtained from the council (Câmara).
• Pre-1951 Certificate. A pre-1951 certificate is normally provided by the local council for buildings constructed before 1951.
• All properties that have a habitation license will have plans filed at the local council.
• Ficha Técnica. This is only needed for houses constructed after 30th of March 2004
• Certificado Energético - Energy Rating Certificate. This must be carried out by a certified engineer. It describes the efficiency of insulation and heat elements of the property. We can help you to arrange this if you do not yet have one.
• Borehole and Septic tank license. If the property has these facilities a license must be presented.