For house sellers, as well as house buyers, moving, buying and selling can be a long, uncertain and rocky road, but it doesn’t have to be like that.
If you are putting your home on the market to sell here are some important things to think about and implement before you have any potential buyers round to inspect your home. Taking time to prepare your property to its maximum saleable condition is really important for a quick sale and also to achieve the maximum price. Think about creating a show home for potential buyers so that they can visualise themselves living in your property.
1) De-clutter
De-cluttering and throwing out anything that will make your home less roomy and spacious is the first thing to do. We can all fill our homes up with papers, furniture, ornaments, books, music CDS, and other paraphernalia which in time removes the space that is visible to a potential home buyer. By removing this unwanted clutter, you will free up space and help the potential buyer to see the property’s true size and potential. At the end of the day the amount of space available is a key factor for home buyers.
2) Present a clean and tidy home
Having a clean and tidy home goes hand in hand with de-cluttering. Make sure that all your rooms are clutter-free and clean. Wash your bathroom and kitchen suites and worktops so they are sparkling and make sure the floor is clean too. Wash woodwork down and re-grout and polish any tiles if you need to so they look as good as new. Also make sure that you wash your windows inside and out.
3) Have high finishing standards
A badly painted wall, poor and shabby flooring, unfinished and cracked tiling, a broken shower head, broken door handles and other bad finishing can really put off buyers because it gives the impression of poor house maintenance. Buyers will be thinking about maintenance and repair costs when looking at properties, and if your home appears as though it will need a lot of repairs and DIY projects, this could put buyers off. Make sure you complete DIY and any odd jobs around the house before you put it on the market so that everything is in good repair and finished to an acceptable standard. This shouldn’t cost a lot of money and you will recoup the money spent when you come to sell your home.
4) Take care of gardens and front approaches
Making a solid and pleasing first impression is crucial. If you have a front garden, you can plant flowers in pots and also make sure your cut the lawn and shrubs and sweep any pathways or driveways. Another good tip is to wash down your front door, glass and porch if you have one and also polish any brassware on the front door. Make sure your back garden is trimmed and tidy so that it creates a nice ambience for potential home buyers. They will be imagining themselves in your garden so it pays to create a nice garden environment for them when they view your property.
5) Update decor
If your home’s decor is tired looking and hasn’t been decorated in a while, it is worth the effort to decorate your property to give it a fresh look and feel. A neutral and light colour is best on the walls and ceilings so it makes it appealing to buyers who won’t be put off by personal interior decor tastes.
6) Think about accessories
When you are selling something, you don’t want it to appear like you haven’t made an effort for potential house buyers. Create a show home look by coordinating cushions and setting out your home that is pleasing to the eye. You can create a nice bedroom look with duvets and bedding sets, also coordinating rugs and cushions. You could set out your dining area so that it looks attractive with a dinner set, coordinated table settings and glasses. Create a nice bathroom feel with coordinated towels, rugs and toiletries that are laid out. Your garden is a good selling point too, so lay out garden furniture and flower pots to look appealing and inviting.
Implementing these simple steps will help to make your property stand out and also show that you have put thought and effort into selling your property.