How to Prepare your Home for Sale
Where to start when preparing your home for sale
There are five key areas to focus on when preparing your home for sale to help you get the best result:
- Maintenance and Repairs
One of the biggest turn-offs for buyers is wear and tear. This can be small things such as chipped tiles, cracked windows, scuffed paintwork, stained carpets, and other obvious signs of damage. These areas instantly alert buyers there is work required, which can diminish their initial enthusiasm for your property and lower the price they are prepared to pay.
Discuss with your agent which areas you should give attention to before putting your home on the market. You want to ensure you are increasing appeal without overcapitalising.
- Declutter and Depersonalise
Study other houses currently on the market and you will see that the ones that look the best have been decluttered, cleaned thoroughly, and may even have been styled to look modern and pristine.
Too many items in a room can make it look small. Removing some items of clutter makes the prospective buyer able to see the room properly while more importantly, making the room appear larger.
- Spring Clean
Cleaning the house, even hidden areas such as under the sink, makes the house look well-cared for. This gives the buyer the impression that the house has been well-maintained and there should be no hidden problems.
- Tidy the Lawn and Gardens
Now more than ever, outdoor space is a key factor for buyers. That feeling you get as you approach the front door is critical. From front patios to gardens, decking to outdoor kitchens, backyards and veggie gardens, useful outdoor space equals value. If you have an outdoor area that needs attention, it is worth spending a bit of time gardening or getting your deck polished. Planting some flowers or adding some feature pot plants can be a cost-effective strategy to add some colour to a property.
- Consider a Fresh Coat of Paint
It’s amazing how much a paint job can improve the look of your property in the eyes of potential buyers. Depending on your budget, you should start by marking down which walls have cracks and major scuffs requiring urgent attention and any other walls you think could do with a freshen up. Consider painting any feature walls with a more neutral colour. Also, consider any windows, doors or parts of the outside of the house that require attention.
