As we reach the mid-way point in September, we take a look at some tips that will help you sell your property in Autumn and achieve a high offer. The Festival has been and gone, kids are back at school and buyers are on the quest for a new home.
If you’re thinking of getting your property on the market this month or looking to get it ready for the autumn rush of buyers, check out our top tips for helping you to make the most of one of the busiest periods of the year for property sales.
Tidy up
The most obvious suggestion of all but give your property a good clean and tidy. A bit of good old elbow grease can make an amazing difference and is the best place to get started. For photographs as well as viewing, a good clean and tidy up will stand you in good stead.
Clean the Carpets
After such a fantastic summer you and the kids (plus animals if you have any) will have been in and out of the garden, to and from the house, trailing in muck or debris in. Give the carpets a shampoo if you have machine or consider hiring one or getting a professional in to give them a once over. You can purchase carpet shampoo machines in stores such as Argos and B&Q have one you can hire called ‘Rug Doctor’.
Interior Design
Autumn is a great time to do a bit of an interior design makeover. Golds and yellows or mustards are all autumn favourites along with materials such as wood and stone are for decor. Other colours such as terracotta or chocolate are also warming autumn colours. You don’t have to spend a fortune to add a touch of colour in your home, colours can be added on walls but equally as trendy is adding a splash of colours with the use of cushions, picture frames and rugs.
Viewings in Daylight
Remember it’s starting to get dark earlier in the evenings now and is almost completely dark by 8pm. If at all possible, try and arrange viewings with potential buyers during daylight hours so that they can see your property in all of its naturally-lit glory.
Improved Lighting
If you are not able to arrange viewings within natural daylight hours, consider renewing your lightbulbs. Sounds extreme but it’s amazing how much brighter a new bulb can be and much lighter they can be. Choose different wattages of lightbulbs depending on the feeling you want each room to give, for example you might want really bright bulbs for the kitchen or dining area, but a cosier shade of lighting for a bedroom or living room.
Don’t Forget the Garden!
Although the nights are drawing in earlier each evening, the garden should not be overlooked! Homes with outdoor space are highly sought-after, so if you have a garden, now is the time to give it a tidy-up. If you have kids that have been out in the garden most of the summer, try to hide or put into storage any wendy houses, trampolines, sand pits etc so that potential buyers who do not have children can envisage the garden in the way they’d like to have it. Make the most of the afternoon sun by placing a bench or table and chairs where the sun hits so that they can see how the outside space can be used all year round.
If you live in a flat and only have a shared garden, the chances are that even though you may never use it, potential buyers will want to see it anyway. They may feel it gives them an idea of the type of people who live in the stair as to whether or not they can be bothered with up-keep of the garden. Consider borrowing a lawnmower or trimmer to give it a tidy up before the property goes on the market. If you are not able to do that, hire a gardener to do a general tidy up for a few hours.
A Good Airing
If the property you are selling is not currently occupied or you’ve been away on holiday, give the house a good airing. Open windows (and doors if possible) prior to viewings to let air circulate and remove any musty odours. A well-ventilated property is always far more appealing to viewers.
Damp can be an issue for older buildings at this time of year, especially if you dry your clothes indoors. As temperatures fall coming into autumn, we tend to open windows far less. Consider investing in or borrowing a small dehumidifier which can assist in removing the damp air from the atmosphere.
Turn the Heat Up!
After a fantastic summer with high temperatures, we are still having some relatively mild days as we enter autumn, however, we can start to feel a wee nip in the air early morning and late evening! Make your home welcoming and inviting for viewers, take the chill off any rooms before they arrive. Fire the radiators on to heat the room up about half an hour before a viewing or set the heating on a timer so they come on when desired. If you have a real fireplace, get that cracking away, and make your home is cosy to welcome viewers and help them to visualise as if it were their own!
If you are looking to sell your property, the first thing you’ll need is a Home Report. We are RICS Charted Surveyors specialising in Home Reports across Scotland from as little as £85. Get in touch today to arrange a time to suit you. We offer early morning or evening and weekend appointments. Call us on 0131 608 0175 or email us at info@homereportcompany.co.uk
