How to Make Your Home Sale Ready
Quite often we are asked why houses stay on the market and fail to sell. There are the obvious reasons like over ambitious pricing, but sometimes it is in the presentation of the home. First impressions mean everything as most people can’t see past what is presented to them to imagine what something could become with their own touches. That’s why it’s so important to make your property generically appealing to eliminate people’s objections when they come to view.
1.DECLUTTER
When people view a home, they don’t want to see your 10 years of accumulated collectables cluttered around surfaces. Aside from main furniture and a couple of tastefully located ornaments; such as vases or art, keep sides clear! Don’t remove absolutely everything as it makes the home look neglected and not ‘lived in’ – but strike a careful balance.
2.KEEP THINGS NEUTRAL
If you have painted rooms and any of them have colours which mightn’t suit everyone’s taste, consider having them painted in a neutral but warm colour. Add splashes of colour using accessories like cushions to stop the room being bland whilst making potential buyers feel that they don’t have a lot of work to do to make the property how they want to see it.
3.GIVE THE GARDEN & EXTERIOR SOME ATTENTION
The outside of the house will be the first impression most buyers get of your home, aside from the photos. Make sure that all hedges and plants are nicely pruned and that grass is short and neat. Clear away leaves and make sure any decking and patio is cleaned. This helps people visualise using the space. Make sure the facades of the house are clear from any damage including guttering and substantial watermarks or stains and make sure that the front door is clean and if possible freshly painted, finished or polished and that the doorbell or the knocker is working fully and well attached.
4. GO 'SHOW HOMEY'
Show homes are designed purely to sell – so why not apply some of these tips to your property. If you can bear it, try and leave your dining table set with stunning table runners, candles etc. Pot plants and flowers in vases also are a simple addition that make your property feel ‘cared for’. Candles can also have the same affect, or if you have a fireplace, why not light a fire - but watch out of there are children in the viewing party.
5. MAKE SURE YOU'RE ODOUR FREE
No one really knows how their own house smells. We all go a bit ‘nose blind’ in this department. If you are a smoker or have pets, in particular, you need to make sure that there are no lingering odours. We recommend that smokers do not smoke in their properties while viewings are scheduled and that everyone gets either air fresheners or diffusers to help keep their home smelling fresh and pleasant. We also recommend using fabric fresheners on curtains and other upholstery and also making sure that bins and drains are kept clean and fresh.
6. FRESH BATHROOMS
Bathrooms, along with kitchens, are one of the main selling points of a home. If you’re not going to go all out and put in a new bathroom, then give your existing bathroom a freshen up. Re-grout or silicone the joints in the bathroom so that there are no black mould areas visible, give all of the bathroom fittings a good descale. Find a sensible place to put rolls of towels and a bowl of hand soups to give it that hotel feeling… and always close the toilet lid and make sure you have fresh clean towels!
7. CLOSET SELLER
Buyers like to look in everything – and this means any built in closets, kitchen cabinets and even fridges. Make sure that these spaces are cleared out and well organised so that they look like they have plenty of space.
8.STEALING SPACE
Clear out, if viable, excess furniture to make spaces look more substantial. Large mirrors can make spaces look and feel much larger than they actually are and you can find some reasonably inexpensively as temporary fittings. Make sure lighting extends throughout the room and add lighting wherever there are dark areas as in the visual eye the room ends where the light does.
9. LIGHTEN UP
Make sure all lighting is working and in order. All light-bulbs should be replaced (even if it is a multi light-bulb fitting). Switch white light-bulbs for warm bulbs as the softer lighting masks imperfections better. Make sure windows are sparkling clean to let the natural light in from outside and keep curtains open and nicely tied back for daylight viewings.
10. CLEAN, CLEAN AND CLEAN AGAIN
It might sound obvious, but this is the easiest and most necessary of the steps in preparing your house. When you decide to put it on the market, it may even be worth getting a professional cleaning company to really freshen appliances and carpets as they have the materials to bring everything close to a back to new look.
There are a number of staging companies out there who can help you stage your property for sale if you need help and our expert sales team are also always happy to chip in with a recommendation or two!
Do you have a home to sell? Talk to our team to find out what services we offer for sellers.