5 things to do before you market your home.
To stand the best chance of selling your home – and to do so quickly and for the highest price – presentation is important. At any given time, there are many other properties vying for the attention of prospective buyers. First impressions really matter, particularly in a buyer’s market such as we have right now.
Furthermore, the way most of us start (and end) our new home search these days – via a smartphone or laptop screen, scrolling property portals like Rightmove, Prime Location or Zoopla – standing out and ‘kerb appeal’ matter more than ever. You only have a few seconds to make a good first impression here.
In this blog I’ll talk through five quick, simple and free (or very low cost) things you can do, to best prepare your home for going on the market...
1.De-clutter
Having rooms and surfaces that are free of too much ‘stuff’ can make a huge difference to the overall feel of a home, and the perception of size and space in rooms. Prospective buyers will get a more favourable impression of your home if, before photos are taken and before any viewings, you clear away paper, files, accessories and obstacles like dog beds, kids’ toys, food on worktop surfaces and so on.
Also – and this one is a personal bugbear for me when I see these things in photos – please clear away towels, toothbrushes, toilet rolls and toilet cleaner etc from your bathroom before the photographer goes round!
2. Clean and tidy
Ok, this one is obvious, you might think, but earlier in my career, I’ve shown too many prospective buyers around too many grubby and untidy houses... Needless to say, the viewings didn’t go well! Invest the time and elbow grease in a thorough deep clean of the whole property, including windows (inside and out) and the front door (plus bonus points for a carpet clean). Also, don’t forget to make beds neatly before photos and viewings!
3. Lick of paint?
A little more effort is required here, but it’s well worth it. Have a good look round your home - in the way prospective buyers will. If and where you spot any walls, door frames or other surfaces with paint work that is chipped, scuffed or obviously tired-looking, get out your roller and brushes. The look and smell of a freshly painted room/house is a massive positive for buyers.
4. Lightbulb moment!
Make sure you go round and check all light fixtures, bulbs and switches. These are things many buyers look for and notice, pressing switches or pulling cords. Finding a non-working light may on the face of it be trivial, but it could also sow doubt or a warning flag in a buyer’s mind about the state of the electrics more generally. So, let there be light!
5. Sparkling outside spaces
Now, this doesn’t mean a full-scale ‘Garden Rescue’ or professional landscaper is needed! But, be prepared to carry out some basic maintenance and general upkeep of gardens or other outside spaces. This means stuff like sweeping pathways, jet washing patios or decking, mowing lawns and reseeding any large patches, clearing away kids’ toys, and perhaps a spot of weeding.
We love our outside spaces in this country, so presenting your home with these looking tidy, clean and welcoming can really help with that all-important first impression.
I hope you found these tips useful. Please follow me on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/lucyegan01, where I share our new instructions on there first (a few days before you’ll find them on the property portals 😉), more property guidance and other news and info too.