Tips on Preparing your House for Sale

Once you have the made the decision to sell your house it is worthwhile taking time to prepare your home for the market as first impressions for a potential buyer are all important.

If you have lived in your home for several years, it is a good idea to spend time seeing if you can declutter by removing personal items, excess furniture and anything that makes the space look crowded. Do have a spring clean throughout so the house, including windows, looks clean and fresh.

Have a look at any minor repairs that you feel need doing, a well-maintained home gives a positive impression. You may wish to consider staging to showcase the best features of your home, well placed furniture and décor can help buyers visualise the potential of each space. Kitchens and Bathrooms are often focal points for buyers, ensure that they are clean and well-lit.

Buyers will often look at storage spaces, so do organise your cupboards and storage areas to make them look as spacious and well maintained as you can. Lighting is important, natural light is preferred, open curtains and blinds for viewings, a room can look more welcoming with sun light streaming in through clean windows.

If you feel there are certain rooms that would benefit from a coat of paint, then redecorate, use neutral colours to appeal to a broader range of buyers. Prior to viewings it is worth eliminating unpleasant odours in the home, such as cooking smells, which can be off putting. If your home has energy-efficient features, make sure to highlight them, mention upgraded insulation, energy-efficient appliances or solar panels.

Initial impressions matter, enhance your home’s kerb appeal by maintaining the lawn, trimming bushes and shrubs and if required adding some colourful flowers. Clean the exterior of the house, consider areas that may benefit from power washing to give a fresh appearance.

Look out all necessary documentation relating to the house, so that once a sale is agreed these can be handed to your solicitor without delay. You may wish to instruct a solicitor prior to a sale being agreed to speed up the process.