As we approach the end of September, the Edinburgh Festival has been and gone, the kids are back to school and property buyers are on the look-out for a new home.
If you are planning on selling your property this Autumn or over the next couple of months, or simply want some ideas on how to improve your home for the autumn influx of buyers, check out our great advice for helping you improve the appeal of your property for one of the busiest time of the year for property sales.
- The obvious tips of all, but the simplest; give the property a good clean and a tidy up. This will instantly freshen the place up and stand you in good stead for viewings and photographs. First impressions really do count and you only get one chance to make a good one!
- If you have a garden, ensure you have cut the grass and removed weeds or cut back overgrown shrubs. With the hot weather we have had over the summer months, consider moving the BBQ or children’s outdoor toys out of site or into a shed. With the possibility of kids and pets having been running in and out of the garden, along with it comes muddy feet and paws. Give the carpets at entrances/exits to the house a good clean. You can hire someone to do this or carpet cleaner machines can be purchased quite cheaply and will be a good investment.
- Autumn is a great time to contemplate an interior design makeover. Favourite colours for Autumn are gold and raw materials such as wood and stone. Warm autumn colours such as terracotta and chocolates are a really popular choice at this time of year to create a cozy, welcoming feel. Bring out colours on walls, cushions and picture frames to keep your property on trend without breaking the bank.
- With nights beginning to draw in earlier at this time of year, try to arrange potential viewings during daylight hours, so that viewers can see your property at a time when natural light will show it off in all its glory. Light, spacious and airy living environments always seem to have a therapeutic effect, lifting our spirits and transforming our mood, just like a fantastic view from a window or a bright sunny morning.
- If you are not able to conduct viewings during daylight hours, consider replacing old light bulbs with new ones as they will give off brighter light and help viewers appreciate your home in a ‘brighter light’. There are various tones of bulbs available from natural daylight bulbs to darker gold tones. Choose bulbs that are suitable for each room, think about each rooms’ purpose and the kind of atmosphere you want to convey. Think about the mood you want your viewers to have in each room; spacious, cozy or bright, and select your bulbs for each room accordingly.
- If you live in a flat and the garden is communal, you’ll want to ensure you give it a good tidy up as nearly all buyers will want to look ‘out the back’. Borrow a lawnmower and some gardening tools off friends or family, give the grass a cut, power wash slabs or patio areas and consider investing in a few pot plants or troughs to brighten the area up. If there is an area for seating you could put a bench or table and chairs. This will show potential buyers that there is somewhere to relax in the sun if they want to, even if its not an area that you have ever used.
- If you have been away on holiday over the summer period, travelling or been renting out the property, ensure the rooms are well ventilated. A home that is left unattended can become smelly, damp and stale. Open all the windows for at least an hour prior to viewings and try and leave windows open all the time if it’s a flat beyond ground level to let the air circulate, if security prevention allows it. If not, a dehumidifier can be used to remove damp air from the atmosphere.
- As we approach the end of September, it is already beginning to feel like there’s a nip in the air, especially late at night and first thing in the morning! Make the property welcoming and inviting for your viewers, take the chill off the air before they arrive by turning on radiators to heat the room up about half an hour before a viewing. If viewings are taking place after you arrive home from work, use a timer to heat the property up half an hour before you are due home. If you have a fireplace, get it on right away to make your home as warm and welcoming as possible so that viewers can imagine the home as their own!
If you’d like advice on preparing your property for sale this Autumn or need a home report carried out (which is the first step in getting your property on the market), drop us an email at info@homereportcompany.co.uk or call us on 0131 608 0175.
