Summer can be one of the best times of year to get the best price for your property. Temperatures are set to soar over the next couple of weeks and so could your viewing figures If you check out our top tips for selling.
First impressions do really count.
Exterior Appeal:
Stand outhouse the main entrance of your property and compare it to the rest of properties in your street. If you are feeling even slightly mortified, then its highly likely that you have not impressed any viewers which have already been so view your property, however, its not to late to change perceptions!
Checklist:
- Mow the lawn
- Clean the gutters
- Fresh paint on window frames
- Even out any squint paving slabs
- Tidy away kid’s toys
- Ensure house number is visible
- Trim back overgrown shrubs or bushes
- Get rid of visible weeds to give the impression the property has been well maintained
De-Personalise
Buyers don’t really want to view the lovely life you have in your home as they’ll want to try imagine themselves in it and they may live a very different lifestyle from you! Remove as many personal photographs of yourself/family from the mantelpiece/hallway or stair and everywhere else in the house. Also removed pictures done by your three your old from fridge and any magnets to reduce the appearance of clutter.
Speaking of Clutter…
Get rid!
If you have accumulated years’ worth of bits and bobs (which most people have), now is either the time to throw them out, donate to a charity shop, put into short term storage, or find a proper, neat place for them to live like a cupboard or garage. You could even consider having a garage or car boot sale to get rid of unwanted belongings to make some cash. Whatever you decide to do, as long as it’s out of the way of your viewer’s sight.
You can also remove ‘extra’ furniture in bedrooms or communal areas such as kitchens and living rooms to create a more spacious appearance. As a general guide, there should be enough room for people to enter and walk around around unhindered yet enough furniture to convey the room’s purpose.
Clean Up
Clean the property like your life depends on it. A quick once over isn’t good enough, you need to be serious attention to detail:
- Dust skirting boards
- Clean the windows (inside and out)
- Dust/wipe light fixtures
- Vacuum all flooring/mop or polish where necessary
- Shampooing carpets can give them a new lease of life, you can rent machines which do this from most local Tesco’s or B&Q
- Polish taps and mirrors
- Wipe down the front of kitchen cupboards and appliances
- Bleach tile grout in bathroom
- Scrub the oven clean (prospective buyers can be nosy and judgemental)
Get Pets Out of Sight
No one wants to be greeted at the door by your beloved pet when they are viewing a property. Where possible, try to remove all pets from the property at least half an hour before viewers are likely to arrive. Ask a friend, neighbour or relative if you can pet sit while you show off your property. If you have a viewing agent, you could take the dog away a walk yourself or head to the neighbours for a coffee, which leads us onto the next point.
Get Out the House
If you have a viewing agent, they are experts in what they do so let them get on with it. It can often be off-putting to prospective buyers If they are trying to nose around wardrobes and you have you hovering around. If buyers are made to feel awkward, they are less likely to hang around and see the full potential of your home and therefore less likely to enquire further.
Repair, Revamp and Restore
Try to view your home from a buyer’s perspective, think about details that you would impress you in their position. Are you also viewing properties yourself while trying to sell your own? What ticks your box? Here’s a short check list of the kind of things we think might need attention, but walk round your home with a pen and notepad, taking notes of things which could be repaired or revamped to make a noticeable difference to potential buyers:
- Replace broken light bulbs
- Fix leaky taps
- Fix drawers or doors which are not in full working order
- Repair Cracks in Walls
- Touch up paint or repaint altogether if its an option (in neutral)
- Hang fresh linen in bathroom
- Get new shower curtain and bathmat (neutral colours)
- Remove any ‘busy’ wallpaper and paint walls in neutral. Remove the paper, do not simply paint over the paper as buyers will notice and it makes the paper even harder to remove
- Eradicate odours – open the windows and let the air circulate your house, air fresheners won’t do the same job!
Let There Be Light
Lots of natural light is one of the most important factors when people are looking at new homes. Even if you don’t live in a wide open space with plenty of natural light, there are other ways to give the impression of plenty of bright, airy space:
- Replace light bulbs with higher wattage
- Remove any dark/heavy curtains
- Install extra light fittings or lamps in any particularly dingy areas of your home
- Repaint dark rooms a lighter colour with light reflecting paint such as a silk finish
- Chop down any bushes or trees outside which could be blocking light or casting shadows inside the house
For more information on selling your property and to have a home report carried out, give us a call on 0131 608 0175 or drop us an email at info@homereportcompany.co.uk
