One of the most often asked questions we receive from home sellers is how to best prepare their home for sale to allow them the best possible chance of selling quickly and for the highest price…
Here are our top 7 tips to prepare your home this spring…
- Declutter – firstly have a really good look around your home and decide what you are not likely to be taking with you to your new home and make two piles, one for the charity shop and one for the tip. The loft and garage are really good places to start and are normally the storing areas of the house for items you are never likely to use again. It is also worthwhile slimming down the number of family photographs and ornaments on show as you want potential buyers to be able to imagine themselves in your home.
- Freshen up – once you have decluttered your home will need a deep clean, skirting boards, dado rails and behind the sofa will all need attending to. Make sure you don’t forget the windows, you want your viewers to be able to see in and out, so make them sparkle and shine. If you have rooms that are in your favourite colour, it may not be to everyone’s taste, consider toning them down to a pale pastel colour, neutralizing will appeal to more buyers.
- First impressions – potential buyers are said to make their mind up about purchasing a property within the first 30 seconds of the viewing so making a good first impression is vitally important. Clean the front door and even consider a fresh coat of paint. Sweep the paths and collect any leaves, jet wash the drive, patio and decking, tidy up your front garden/borders and cut the grass, as we also want to entice any drive-by potential buyers to view your home, this is what we call the ‘curb appeal’ also pots or hanging baskets planted up with some colourful plants will brighten up any day and offers a warm welcome to your viewers. Ensure that your hallway is clear of coats, shoes and brollies, to ensure its bright and light, the entrance is so important to start the viewing on a positive note. If possible, take your car off the drive, so that your viewers have somewhere to park.
- The scent of spring – it is vitally important that you ask a trusted friend or relative to be honest with you about whether there is something that is giving your home a particular odour as this can be slightly off-putting to viewers. We all love our furry friends but sometimes we become immune to them maybe giving your home an odour which is not so pleasant to those that are not use to it. Make sure that you put all pet paraphernalia away and out of site, such as pet beds and bowls and that you open the windows and let the fresh spring air in. Organise some plug-in air fresheners – all will help to give a fresh welcoming fragrance to your home.
- Stage and Style – take a look at some new build home developments to see how they stage and style their show homes. I am not saying go out and spend £1000,s but if your bedding is looking past its best invest in some plain white bedding, think of it as an investment for your new home. Add a throw or two and some cushions and it will transform your bedroom into somewhere your viewers can imagine themselves. Take away the clutter from the fireplace and add a candle, remove the paperwork from the kitchen worktops. If in doubt buy a gorgeous bouquet of flowers which will brighten up any room.
- Some quick tips for each room of the house to give your viewers a fantastic first impression:
- Clean your front door, porch and entrance area
- Tidy up the garden and invest in a couple of pots or hanging baskets with some spring colour
- Kitchen – clear the work surfaces and re-grout the kitchen sink, clean cupboard fronts and leave some baking (can be shop bought) in a cake stand to welcome your viewers.
- Bathroom – re grout and re silicon, put out some fluffy towels and soaps and ensure that everyone is sparkly clean.
- Living room – put away any clutter and leave a bunch of flowers on the fireplace
- Bedrooms – ensure all beds are made with fresh bedding where possible, open the windows to make sure they are well aired and tidy the bedside cabinets
- Ensure that your agent is fully briefed to visit your home and they know how all the appliances and gadgets work so they can show your potential buyers, plus all the essential information such as how old the boiler is and whether the loft is boarded, the EPC rating, property sales brochure, floor plan/square footage, council tax band, distance to local amenities and schools. These are key items your agent should always have this information when conducting a viewing on your home, you will be surprised how many times we are praised and admired on how helpful and prepared we are by our viewers.
If you are planning to sell or struggling to sell, find out is our award winning sales team can assist with your next move this spring.
Warm regards
Paul Forbes
If you would like to chat about the local property market, whether you are a buyer, seller, landlord or tenant, then feel free to DM me here, call 01257 273324 or email info@forbesestates.com
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