Maintaining your home before looking to sell is a sure way to gather more interest when potential buyers are stopping by for a viewing. Although the market is moving quickly, there are always things we would advise you to consider implementing to achieve the true potential of your property and ensure a quick and seamless sale. To avoid becoming complacent in the current fast moving situation, the potential to add value to your home before selling is still there to maximise your returns.
De-clutter
De-cluttering your house before a viewing will enable you to create a more spacious appearance and show buyers you are serious about selling and is one of the most effective and simplest jobs you can do to have a successful house viewing. It enables potential buyers to imagine living in your home if they don’t have to look at your personal clutter. If you have an emotional attachment to your bits and bobs, simply box up and store out of the way.
Clean
This may be the most important step you take toward getting your home ready to sell. A clean home shows potential buyers that you’ve taken good care of the property and ideally, you should clean every part of the house, from the floors to the ceilings-and everything in between. If you don’t have new appliances in the kitchen, make sure the existing ones are spotless as your goal should be to make everything look as new as possible and maintained and cared for.
Create curb appeal
Sometimes you only get one chance to make a good first impression, and while you may be focusing on beautifying your indoors, the exterior of your property is just as important. If buyers are driving by it may even determine someone’s interest in viewing the inside of the house. Make sure your lawn, hedges, trees, and other plants are neatly pruned, and be sure to get rid of any weeds. Wash windows well, and a lick of paint goes a long way.
Define specific areas
When you’re selling your home, it helps to show buyers how they can use each room. You want each potential buyers to see the full use of each room, and it’s true capacity. If your spare room is full of junk and just used for storage, its advisable to turn this back into a potential bedroom. If your kitchen table is now your office, think about showing its correct use for a family meal place. It will help potential buys to visualise your home as theirs and even if the buyer doesn’t want to use the room for the same purpose, the important thing is for them to see that every inch of the home is usable space.
Carry out repairs
Now is the time to fix all of those nagging things that you just lived with. Inside the house, look for things like stained ceilings, missing tile, broken windows and doors, heavily scratched floors and other signs of neglect. Outside, look for broken or missing shingles, broken decking etc. Make a list of everything you see and then decide which things you’re going to tackle.
However well you prepare your home, you still need to make sure you have the best agent selling it, for the right price.
For more information on how to add value to your home before selling and any other enquiry about purchasing a property, selling a property or lettings, please contact us here.
