So you’ve made the decision to sell your house, congratulations! Now the hard work really starts….selling your house isn’t just about putting an advert up on Rightmove and waiting for viewings to get booked. It’s about more than that, the reality is- presentation is key, especially if you want to achieve the best price for it.
A lovingly, well turned out home can make such a difference when a prospective buyer is walking around your home, picturing themselves sitting in your lounge, cooking in your kitchen or even sleeping in your bed! Take a car for example, if you were selling your car, you wouldn’t show it to anyone before first giving it a hoover and a wash. It’s the same principle when it comes to your home, so have a read of our top tips for getting your house ready for selling:
- Good landscaping will transform the exterior look and feel of your home and give you a higher price. Hire a landscaper or do it yourself depending on your budget.
- Your front door is the centrepiece of your kerb appeal so repaint it in a tasteful colour. Update the outside lights and put potted plants on either side of the door. Think about what a prospective buyer will think when they pull up, first impressions are crucial.
- The entrance hall creates a first impression… make sure it is the right impression. Paint it in a neutral colour, remove any bulky furniture, upgrade the lighting and if you feel you need colour add it with accessories and a rug. Fresh flowers can often add a welcome touch of ‘homeliness’ too.
- The wrong lighting can make your home feel dark and drab so install brighter modern lights to make your home seem sunny, cheerful and up to date. Especially if someone’s coming to view in the evening, soft, warm lights can make it feel really homely- you create these sort of updates with well placed lamps.
- Paint colour is such a personal choice and potential buyers are likely to want to customise it themselves. If you have dark rich colours then repaint in neutral hues, whilst this might seem time consuming, it will have a huge impact on helping a potential buyer visuals themselves living there.
- Avoid major overhauls, especially in the kitchen and bathroom, but do update the lighting, install new taps, mirrors and doorknobs if they are dated.
- Clutter. NO, NO, NO! How do you expect to impress potential buyers with a cluttered house? If you have outgrown your home, start packing and if you don’t have anywhere to put it then use storage.
- Pets – some love them, some hate them and some are allergic to them, so make sure that on the viewing they are out of the house to prevent one of three things happening:
- Pet lovers will pay more attention to your pet and less attention to your home.
- Pet haters will feel uncomfortable, completely on their guard and rush round your property leaving as soon as they can.
- If you have a buyer that is allergic to animals, a reaction will put them off your home. Remove all pet bowls, baskets and (most important) litter trays.
- Back garden. The first thing people see when they walk out the back? An unkempt garden? Loose concrete slabs? Your back garden should look like a space for entertaining. If need be, buy inexpensive patio furniture, potted plants and install some outdoor lighting to tie it all together.
- Clean – Buyers expect to see an immaculate home with no signs of dirt. Remove last night’s Indian take away from the worktops and do the washing up! No dirty underwear on the bedroom floor. Potential buyers need to imagine themselves living in “your” space, your perfectly clean home!
You’ll be surprised how big an impression these small updates can make. By the time you’re done, you’ll wonder why you didn’t do it sooner.
Follow these small steps to help maximise your property’s potential that will allow you to achieve a faster sale and the best possible market price for your home