How do I find the right buyer for my home?

Advertising your property online has never been easier, with portals showcasing your home to millions of house hunters per month. With so many people viewing your listing, though, it can sometimes seem even more daunting to find the right person for your home: someone who will not just look at your listing or even make an enquiry, but someone who will actually buy it.How do you find the right buyer for your home? Try following our five simple steps.

Do not chase the biggest spender

If you are lucky enough to receive several offers on your home, a bidding war can sometimes ensue. It is important to remember, though, that the biggest spender is not necessarily the best for you: you need someome who can actually commit to a purchase, not struggle to afford your property. Indeed, asking for a letter from a lender can be a quick way to guarantee they are eligible for funding. With lenders in the UK and other countries following stricter application processes than ever, any potential complications in your buyer securing finance can severely slow down the selling process - or worse, leave your sale cancelled altogether.

Make sure an offer on their home is in place

The selling of a property is not an isolated event: the housing market is one long daisy chain, with people selling and buying in turn. If you would like to avoid a delay in your own transaction, make sure that your hopeful buyer has an offer on their own home to speed up the daisy chain. First time buyers are free of the knock-on effect, although their eligibility for funding may be an obstacle. (See above.)

Consider the big picture

Just as your property sale is not a self-contained event, the wider property market is a major factor in how your listing will perform. Consider the bigger picture: is this the right time to sell your home? Will buyers be able to afford it? Will they face their own troubles when selling their home in turn? Are they likely to be using Help to Buy, or other assisted lending schemes? Context will help you make the right decisions every step of the way.

Target your listing

A proactive way to find the best buyer for your home is to go looking for them rather than wait until they come across you. Is your property right for a family or a young professional? Will they want to be near a school or a train station? Tailor your description and photos towards them so that they are more likely to notice your listing.

Keep your eye out

Targeting a buyer with your marketing activity is a proactive way to attract them to your doorstep. If you are having an open house, though, there may be many possible buyers asking questions. Be sure to keep an eye out for the kind of person your home is best suited to and give them as much attention and information as possible. And, of course, find out everything about them that you can to confirm that they are the buyer of your dreams.