It might be a sellers’ market but getting your house in tip top condition ready for the estate agent listing and viewings is still essential. Here’s how to prepare your home and ensure it’s a head-turner in the process
Demand for properties has spiralled over the last year, driven in part by the stamp duty holiday but also by the shift to home or ‘hybrid’ working.
Indeed, many people have found they would prefer to live more rurally, and with more employees offering remote working options employees have been given more freedom to explore areas outside of busy towns and cities.
This means it’s a sellers’ market in some areas. But whether you are selling a property in a sought-after area where homes are getting snapped up or bracing yourself for a hard sale in a less popular area – you’ll want your home to look good.
To help you, experts at www.onlinemortgageadvisor.co.uk have put together a list of jobs you should get done before you sell your property, so you’re ahead of the game.
- Declutter
Items you’ve accumulated over the years and which are now filling up the free space in your home, including the loose change on your fireplace, needs to go.
Put it away or in storage, give it away, or even bin it, just make sure it’s gone before you invite people to view your home.
Potential buyers need to be able to envisage what the property would look like if they were living there, and having clutter everywhere makes that a million times harder.
- Give it a fresh lick of paint
Giving your property a fresh lick of neutral paint will do the world of good. Your home will seem lighter, brighter and even bigger, and the neutral colours will allow the viewers to easily imagine how they would adapt each room.
- Make sure you’re making a good first impression
Kerb appeal doesn’t get anywhere near as much focus as it should when you’re selling a property.
A lot of people will drive or walk past the property before deciding whether or not they even want a viewing, so it’s important that the exterior of your property is just as well maintained as the interior.
- Get your DIY on
No prospective buyer wants to walk into a home and see cracks or holes in the wall, broken door knobs, cracked tiles and threadbare carpets as a lot of prospective buyers will want to be able to move in without having to then add renovations onto their process.
Ensure everything is spick and span before opening your home up to viewers.
- Check in on your kitchen
A good kitchen can add a lot of value to your property, so before putting your house up for sale, take a look to see if you’re making the most of your kitchen space.
Adding in a few upgrades such as a new surface or new cupboards can add some serious value to the total worth of the property.
- Get rid of any unappealing smells
This might seem like a bit of an odd one, but funky smells are one of the first things a prospective buyer will notice. The good news, however, is they are easy to fix.
Open the windows, let in some fresh air and give everywhere a deep clean. Use wax melts, light candles, and make the most of good quality diffusers.
