Preparing your home for sale involves more than cleaning the house and putting fresh coat of paint, new study suggests.
Many homeowners forget to clear their garages and storage spaces when selling but in a market where every inch of property counts things like these should not be overlooked.
A new study from Harrison Murray estate agents, part of The Nottingham Building Society, estimates that UK garages and sheds contain items worth a collective £35 billion, with an eclectic mix of family valuables, musical instruments, DIY kits, cycles and over £1 billion worth of alcohol contributing to the total.
Su Snaith, head of Harrison Murray, comments:
“The house may be clutter free, freshly painted, sparkling clean and ready for potential buyers to walk in the door – but while most sellers will happily spruce up their home and even their garden ready for a sale – many forget about the garage.
“And in many cases, this could provide extra space a buyer craves. In this day and age, it is fair to say that the garage is used less and less for its intended purpose of storing a car.”
Top tips to prepare your garage for sale
1 De-clutter
This serves as a good exercise for getting rid of unwanted items before you move to a new house, and saves the expense and time of taking it with you. And if you do have any breakables / valuables – pack them up and store them in a safe place.
2 Make the best use of your garage space
Try to make your garage look bigger – and tidier – by moving everything off the floor and onto shelves or hooks.
3 Make it safe
Make sure that all flammable items, tools and chemicals are stored away and out of reach of children.
4 Deep clean
Dust everything – as you would another other room in your house – and remove things like spider webs. Make sure floors are clean, removing any oil stains.
5 Take care of small improvements & repairs
If possible, apply a new coat of paint – preferably a neutral, light colour to make the space look bigger.
Ensure the garage door is working properly – and that it looks as good as the rest of your house, giving it a fresh coat of paint if necessary.
If you don’t already have one – install a smoke detector in your garage – and a lock.
