If you want to ensure you get the most from your investment a little bit of thoughtful planning is key, and preparing your property with a little ‘home staging’ is the best way to improve your chances.
In today’s competitive market, selling your home for the best price takes more than an enthusiastic estate agent.
If you want to ensure you get the most from your investment a little bit of thoughtful planning is key, and preparing your property with a little ‘home staging’ is the best way to improve your chances.
Read our guide of the best hints and tips to help you sell your house as quickly and as profitably as possible.
Buyers want to imagine your space as their space.
Nothing makes this more difficult than clutter, mess, and rooms full of overflowing cupboards and drawers. Pack away seasonal clothing and coats that clutter up hallways to make it easier to keep the place tidy.
Removing some of your personal items will also help viewers visualise living in your home (it will be harder for them to see it as theirs with family photos on every surface).
Your home still must have character and charm so don’t have absolutely anything personal on show; a soulless and generic apartment also won’t appeal no matter how architecturally impressive the space is.
As well as keeping your house tidy make sure that any small problems are fixed, such as cracked tiles, small holes in walls from pictures and scuffed paint.
A quick fill and paint are worth the time, as will a deep spring clean.
You might be able to live with the odd dirty light switch but it’s not something potential buyers want to see. Simple jobs such as getting rid of limescale on taps will instantly increase your home’s appeal.
As any estate agent will tell you, the most important room for selling a house is the kitchen.
If you are willing to invest a little more to maximise the value of your home, then plan an update for your kitchen.
If a complete renovation is not possible for time or budget, simply replacing countertops and cupboard doors can add serious value with minimum outlay.
Even if this isn’t possible remember again to declutter. Leave out a bowl of fruit and some water but get rid of bulky appliances that crowd worktops.
One of the most effective ways to create an inviting welcome is to style your dining room.
A cold and unused dining room is deeply unappealing and feels like a wasted (and expensive) redundant space.
Don’t go over the top with elaborate decoration, but rather lay it as you would for a nice weekend brunch. Add in some pretty flowers in a decorative vase and perhaps a table setting that suits the size of the table. Just keep it friendly and natural.
It may sound like stating the obvious but avoid making your home seem dark and dingy at all costs.
Brightening up your house is a crucial home staging tactic and hugely enhances its overall appeal.
For example, a light-flooded room can make everyone feel great. Clean all the windows inside and out to let in the most light. Replace any broken (or dim) light bulbs with brighter ones and add lamps in any gloomy corners.
Make use of wall mirrors to bounce available light back into the room. If you need to obscure less appealing views without blocking light, try our Duette® blinds in variable transparencies that still allow in the most available light. On the other hand, replace heavy dull curtains with a neat modern roller blind.
If your property has a garden it’s usually a major reason why viewers come to see it, so make it a place they will want to spend time.
Just like the cosy kitchen and inviting dining room, a well-kept garden is an excellent way to increase your home’s value.
Flowers and bushes should be properly pruned (or mature versions planted if your garden looks bare), and maintenance issues like cracks in paving addressed and faded awnings updated.
A modern awning can also increase the feeling of usable space so make sure you get out the table and chairs. Once you’ve worked through this checklist take a moment to appreciate your hard work. You may even decide to stay.
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