30 November 2018
Well you have made the decision to move, but before you put your home on the market, it is worth getting it ready to sell by increasing its appeal to buyers. These preparations, need not cost much – the main investment will be your time!
The aim is to make your house as appealing as possible to buyers. In a nutshell, make your home look clean, fresh and easy to run so that prospective buyers will feel that they can happily move in and not be forced into making any changes straight away…
First Impressions Really Count!
Take a walk across the street and look at your house and front garden critically. Do you get the impression that the house is well cared for and well maintained? There are a number of things that you can do to improve things and this doesn’t include painting everything – unless the outside paint is really in a bad condition.
- Hide dustbins out of sight if possible.
- Wash the paintwork on your doors, window frames and garage doors.
- Clean all the windows so that they are sparkling.
- Cut the lawn and trim the edges. Dig over the flowerbeds and invest in some flowering plants to provide instant extra colour.
- Invest in a colourful hanging basket to hang near the door.
- Make sure your house number is clean and in good condition and if not replace it.
If you live in a flat, first impressions still count so make the area around your front door as attractive as possible by giving the floor, walls and paintwork a really good clean before adding a smart door mat and a tall leafy plant.
Clear the Decks!
Clutter is not attractive and can make a home look dirty and the rooms look smaller. Tackling each room in turn, tidy away as much clutter as possible. If you need more storage, consider buying some under bed boxes or the sets of hat boxes in ascending sizes as these can look smart and stylish and can hold a large volume!
Kitchen work tops in particular need to be clear of bits and pieces. A flick through any magazine will reveal that modern kitchens are streamlined with little more than a hot water jug and vase of flowers on view.
Check all rooms for discarded shoes or boots as these always look messy and it does only take a couple of extra moments to put them away properly. Any items that you no longer need can be sold online or popped into your local charity shop.
Have a Spring Clean Whatever Time of Year!
Give each room a thorough clean from top to bottom as dirty houses do not sell well! Make sure that all the paintwork is clean and that there are no finger marks on the light switches. Assess the lighting in the room. Are the light fittings old, discoloured or damaged?
Replacements can be cheaply bought and will make a big difference. If pennies are tight the charity furniture warehouses are great hunting grounds! Look out for colourful cushions and throws too as these will make your home more modern.
Tackle All Those Little Jobs
Armed with a note pad and pen, check what little jobs need to be done in each room. Maybe there is a piece of wallpaper that needs re-sticking in the dining room or a broken cupboard handle in the kitchen. If all the cupboard handles in a room look tired and past their prime, why not invest in some bright new ones – they will make a noticeable difference.
Check the condition of the grouting in between the bathroom tiles. If it is looking dirty, there are various ways of cleaning it or a grouting pen will soon have the tiles looking good again. If the tiles look past their prime, you can buy some tile paint or some transfers to cheer them up and your chosen new colour scheme can be enhanced by matching tissue boxes and toilet tissue. A leafy fern always looks dramatic in the bathroom and will enjoy the humid atmosphere.
Create a ‘Clean Canvas’
If you have personalised your home with brightly coloured statement walls or a home painted mural, now is the time to cover them with a coat of neutrally coloured paint as buyers like to feel that they can quickly and easily stamp their character on the property. Magnolia is the classic choice of neutral colour but any of the modern oatmeal or soft earthy tones.
And Make a Good Last Impression
When you are having your big tidy up, don’t forget the back garden too! Back gardens quickly get overgrown and untidy so get the grass well cut, hedges trimmed and the flower beds dug so that the garden looks well-kept and easy to manage.
Many people believe that the smell of freshly baked bread or aromatic coffee brewing can really make your house extra appealing to prospective buyers so coupled with all the cleaning and maintenance jobs you have completed, you can look forward to seeing a sold board sign in your front garden soon!
Article provided by one of The National Association of Property Buyers founding members House Buy Fast. Written by Chrissie S.
This content has been provided to us by the writer. Whilst believed to be factually correct, we cannot accept responsibility for content contained within it.
