It’s springtime, but is your house really ready to sell and show people around?
Well Spring is finally upon us and at this time of year lots of us out there are looking to move whether it’s as a buyer or a seller. So here are a few of our tips to get your house in tip top shape before the buyers come looking. And remember this is what you would probably expect to find from a property when yours becomes sold and are then the eyes of a buyer!
1. Curb appeal.
After finding your property on our website and sometimes even before booking a viewing, buyers often first go out and actively find the house they are interested in viewing. This is usually to see what the house, the road and the area is like. This means your property needs to stand out to them, even more so if a similar property is for sale on the street. You want your property to be the one which catches their eye and will buy! Whatever the time of year, potted plants and flowers are always a good thing to have at your front door, also, make sure the driveway and pathways are clean and tidy and also ensure (especially if you don’t have a for sale board) that your house name or number is visible so as people can find you without any problems. Even if you don’t usually have a window cleaner, employ one for the time your house is for sale and this will ensure your windows, window sills and doors are always sparklingly clean. If the paint on your front door has seen better days, give it a quick lick of paint to brighten it up.
2. First impressions.
Whether you have hallway, porch or just walk straight into your front room, make sure the first thing potential buyers don’t do, is to walk into a pile of coats on the wall or trip over shoes, bags or other things in their way. If you have got a coat stand, give it a thin out so it doesn’t intrude on the pathway into your house. If you really have nowhere else to put things, find a cupboard somewhere to store them whilst people are viewing. You can move them back as soon as they have gone. The last thing you want is for them to think the house is too small!
3. De-clutter and de-personalise.
A lot of people find this hard to do as the property is still their home, but buyers need to be able to see themselves living in your house so having lots of family photos, knick-knacks and other things cluttering the place up will make it harder for them to see themselves living there. It’s amazing and frustrating how many buyers focus more on what a house looks like with the present owners’ things in, than at the actual space a house provides. We are all guilty of sometimes not looking past the décor! We are not suggesting you strip all your personal belongings out just select a few to leave and pack the rest away, you’ll have to do it when you move anyway!
4. Freshen the décor up.
Everyone has their own taste on décor and all of your buyers will have a view on yours unfortunately. If you are a fan of bright, bold colours in abundance, maybe think about toning them down a little. A bold feature wall is ok but if every room has a different bright colour, it can sometimes make your home appear dark or smaller than it actually is. This can often put buyers off as they think they will have to re-decorate every room as soon as they move in. Also if you do have blinds at your windows, make sure you keep them open during viewings so as to keep the house as light as possible, even on the dullest of days.
5. Tidy up and give everywhere a quick clean.
It seems obvious really, but you want people to see your house looking its best so make sure you put out last night’s takeaway, tidy away any dirty clothes and do the washing up. No-one expects your house to be pristine but make sure it’s all clean and presentable when people are coming to view. It’s a good idea to empty any bins so as to get rid of smells and to put bleach in the toilet to keep it smelling clean, but please remember to put the seat down, no-one wants to be looking down your loo!
6. Dogs and cats.
There are two categories here, the dog/cat lovers and the dog/cat haters. The lovers may be preoccupied fussing and looking at your pet (and not at the house) and the haters may be pre-occupied trying to keep away from your pet and may rush their viewing. It is a good idea not to have them present during a viewing, maybe get one member of the household, relative or friend to take them for a walk during these times? We know this is not always possible so maybe on these occasions, put them in the garden so viewers can walk around the house without any issues. Always remember to clean the garden of any dog poo before a viewing and if you have a cat, put the litter tray out.
7. Garden.
This time of year especially the garden should be a place where buyers will imagine themselves sitting and relaxing during the forthcoming Summer months, so have a tidy up and make sure it is a place where people will want to be. The garden for most, is as important as the house itself so don’t forget about it.
Have a go at these few things to help maximise the sale of your property. You’ll be amazed if the house looks good and you have a realistic price attached, it will be snapped up by someone in no time!