Top Tips for Selling Your Holiday Home

Selling a caravan can be overwhelming, there is just so much to consider.

Often, when you’re parting with your holiday home, it’s a pretty sad and heavy time, so thinking practically can be tricky. 

That’s why we’ve put together this guide which will run you through what you need to do before listing, things that could improve your ROI and top tips to get a quick sale.

First Impressions Matter

Once the decision has been made to list your holiday home for sale, first impressions really do matter.  You may be be listing for a family member and they perhaps won’t be there to tell potential buyers about how homely, practical and comfortable their holiday home is.  There are some simple and affordable things you can do to make that first impression count.  Lets work through some of them together.

Create a Blank Canvas

We’re sure you’ve done an amazing job at keeping your caravan in a well loved condition, and have treated it like your home from home, but buyers need to see your caravan from a different angle.

The beautiful trinkets and treasures and the family photos dotted around are what has made the caravan yours.  Now you’re ready to sell, its advisable to strip back to basics and allow the caravan to be something of a blank canvas.  

Not only will removing any clutter or personal items help new buyers see space for their own decor and belongings, it will also help you be prepared for the sale.

Once you have all of the non-essentials packed up, be sure to make all of the beds neatly, position soft furnishings thoughtfully and then it’s either time to get your marigolds on or to call someone to do it for you!

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Minimal but modern decor is advisable

Cleanliness is next to Godliness

Whether you’re able to do it yourself or not, making sure your caravan is in clean condition is imperitive before listing.  It can often make a 4 figure difference in higher spec caravans so it is definitely worth your time.

We almost always recommend a professional clean, inside and out, unless your caravan is very clean.  We may be able to help you find a reliable caravan cleaner nearby, so if you’re thinking of outsourcing, you can head over to our contact us page if you’d like our help.

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Get stuck in with cleaning before selling

The Weather

If your holiday home is UK based, we know only too well that the weather is beyond your control and quite difficult to plan around – particularly as you travel further north, but, if you can, it may be worthwhile.

Look at these two photos below and tell us which you’d rather buy to spend your precious free time in?

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The background and lighting really matters when you have photos taken

Whilst it’s easy for us to sit here telling you how to plan getting your holiday home ready to sell when the weather is bright and sunny, we know it’s not a realistic expectation.  That said, you can definitely do things that will help.   Try and take photos at the brightest part of the day and after you have cleaned internally and externally to make sure it looks it’s best.

Potential buyers like to see the external areas of the caravan including the decking and surrounding areas as well as the interior of the caravan.   Videos of all the areas are a great way of showing it off and giving a better feel for it.

Photography

Unfortunately, bad quality photography on your listing will likely lead to poor engagement with your ad, so it’s important to really capture the features and benefits of buying your caravan.

Smart tech is great and these days, there is really no need for you to pay over the odds for a professional photoshoot.  That said, you do need to have a pretty decent and up to date device to get a result worth sharing, and have an eye for detail.

If you’re a self confessed tech-phobe, without a handy contact who owes you a favour, it may be a better idea to get someone to come and help.

The good news is we have contacts who will come and take good quality images for you which will work great for any listing, and the prices can start from just £50!  Reach out via our contact page if you think you might want a quote.

Remember to include as much of the caravan as you can.  People expect and want to see both the interior and exterior.  It’s not a bad idea to include a photo of the plot, and a few of the surrounding areas.  Internally, you should include the bathroom with clear photos of the shower (and/or bath if you’re lucky!), and the toilet.  You should also include the beds and bedroom storage, a full shot of the kitchen and dining area and any additional storage spaces.

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Prices for photography can start from just £50 via Caravan Agency

Description

If you’re not much of a writer, putting together an ad description may feel a bit daunting.  To help you, we’ve laid out a list of the things you should include below:

  1. The make, model and year of the holiday home and how many bedroom it has.
  2. Whether it is being sold sited on a holiday park of whether you wish to sell to someone who will take it off it’s current plot (off site purchase).
  3. If selling sited on the current plot, you will need details of how many years are left on the licence agreement, how long the season is (if not 12 months). And of course, details of the yearly costs incurred.  You should find all the information in the contract that you were given when you purchased the holiday home.
  4. You will need a brief description of the interior of the caravan, including integrated appliances etc  and number of bathrooms.
  5. Any issues/damage/concerns.
  6. And finally, the cost of the holiday home, including any transfer fees applicable.  The park would normally charge commission to park on any private sited sale and it is your decision as to whether you would like the buyer to cover this cost.  In our opinion, buyers like to see what the total cost would be and then there are no surprises later on in the negotiations.

 

If you’re worried, why not contact us, we can soon help you to put together a brilliant description to help you on your way to selling!  We will even do the listing for you!  Check out our Sell Your Caravan page for more information.

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Why not let us help you put pen to paper

Terms of Sale

Don’t forget, details matter, so make sure you are explicitly clear about what is and isn’t included, from the furnishings, decor to things like towels and crockery.

The last thing you need is a hold up because there is an argument over whether you should be leaving behind your antique display plates, and trust me, we have seen it all!

Make sure you also cover expectations regarding connection and disconnection costs and of course, the transportation.

With the actual handover, make your availability or terms clear, ensuring the buyer knows the minimum notice period you need to be available for the handover.  Details matter!

Or... sell with us!

If all this sounds overwhelming, don’t worry, you’re not alone!

We navigate holiday homes daily and are here to help you get through this with as little admin, time and work as possible!  Read a little more about selling with us below.