Top tips for selling your home!
Sometimes it can feel overwhelming when you decide to sell your home as it can be unclear what is worth doing and what isn’t – read below for some tips on getting ready to sell your home.
- Clear Clutter
- Clean
- Eliminate Odours
- Set the Mood
- Room Staging
- Define Each Space
- Fresh Paint
- Kerb Appeal
STAGING YOUR HOME TO SELL:
What you are really trying to do when selling your home, is selling someone the dream. Therefore ‘staging’ the property really goes a long way. These pointers can vary but ensure your rooms are a cross between ‘show home’ and ‘family home’
It needs enough furniture and accessories to feel homely but not too much clutter to the point it is undesirable. It should give feelings of warmth and be desirable as a perfect next step for prospective buyers.
CLEAR CLUTTER:
Too many personal items, ornaments, or just plain rubbish that shouldn’t really be there. Store them elsewhere out of sight or have a clear-out and give a bundle to a charity shop.
It is important for the viewers to be able to envisage it as their own home- 100 old newspapers, magazines and old envelopes stacked high are not selling the dream.
CLEAN:
- Brush and mop all floors
- Polish and wipe all surfaces/ornaments
- Duster for any cobwebs or hard-to-reach dust
- Room spray/ plugin scents/ fresh spray on sofas + beds
- Hide ‘pet-related’ items and tidy away (not everyone is an animal lover)
Clean, tidy and polish like your life depends on it. Nobody wants to imagine moving into a grimy dirty house; if they do, they will definitely want a discount on the price. Clean absolutely everything – this is not only more encouraging but also improves how the condition of your home appears. Hire a cleaning company for the task if you don’t have the time or confidence that you will do a thorough enough job – it is definitely worthwhile.
POSSIBLE IDEA: A professional carpet clean:
This may be worthwhile if there are some marks that you think could come out rather than paying for any new carpets
ELIMINATE ODOURS:
- Musty – mould/damp
- Pets
- Food/cooking
- Bins/sinks
- Drainage
- Smoking
Within the same bracket as cleaning – very important. Musty smells give an idea that the property hasn’t been well looked after and will put off buyers.
Other smells include smoking and pets – freshen up the area as much as possible prior to viewings.
Side note – don’t cook anything super strong beforehand either! Fish is off the menu.
SET THE MOOD
This of course depends on the time of year but if it is Winter – make sure the heating is on so 1. It felt homely and inviting and 2. It proves the heating actually works well.
- Turn on all the lights and open curtains etc to ensure the property is as bright as it could possibly feel
- If it is Summer, keep windows open so it isn’t overly stuffy and feels airy and fresh.
- Bonus – if you have a fire – real, gas or electric – light it for a cosy winter vibe! (Obviously only do this if the property isn’t left unattended – safety first!)
- Perhaps play some easy listen background music on a low volume too so it feels homely and less awkward, especially if you are conducting viewings instead of an agent.
ROOM STAGING:
- Staging tips don’t have to cost the earth – you can clear away your own excess and buy little extras – you can even get lots from Poundland and similar low-cost shops.
- Make beds – consider buying low-cost cushions and throws to make them more aesthetically pleasing
- Fresh or faux flowers in vases – nothing too fancy, just adds a nice touch!
- Low-cost accessories – such as candles, photo frames, ornaments, diffusers etc.
- Bottle of bubbly in an ice bucket + glasses – especially great for garden furniture in Summer but a nice all-year-rounder for kitchens etc. It not only paints a nice picture for the viewer, but it also shows that you have made an effort and taken great care in the presentation which is always a bonus.
- Plump up and tidy sofas/ chairs/ rugs/ throws – everything should be in place and not look scruffy
- Keep surfaces minimal – think kettle and toaster out but not your slow cooker, food processor, smoothie maker and spare tent – keep it tidy!
DEFINE EACH SPACE:
It is important that it is clear what each room is meant to be. I.e. An office should be styled as one as much as possible rather than a dumping ground. The same can also be said for a spare bedroom that is piled high with washing and an ironing board.
A good idea is to buy a cheap second-hand bed and dress the bedroom in an aesthetically pleasing way.
This is irritating in the short-term during viewings as you’d rather just have your ironing space back but it is worth it for getting the picture of the home just right.
FRESH PAINT:
Staging your house can be done on a low budget but make a great impact. Freshen up paint in any rooms that look a little tired- this can be extra beneficial if you do it yourself and save money. If you are repainting; make sure you choose a neutral shade – bright or bold colours can easily put people off.
KERB APPEAL – (I have written a full blog on this – CLICK HERE )
Make sure the front is pleasing to the eye as much as possible.
- Tidy up
- Hide the bins
- No clutter
- No weeds
- Fresh paint where possible
- Add some flowers/ pots/ hanging baskets
- Fix broken lights
- Clean the exterior
- Jet wash the driveway
- Make sure it looks homely and inviting from the outside! First impressions mean a huge amount!
TO SUMMARISE:
Do not go crazy spending too much. (This is relative per household on what is affordable and what the intended sale figure is) then it is worthwhile doing. Do not over-extend finances ahead of the sale.
For example:
- A new kitchen or bathroom
- All new windows
- Adding a conservatory/extension
- Extensive Landscaping (a lower cost tidy up is generally sufficient)
- New Roof
You get the idea!
EXTRA NOTE: ALL IN THE DETAILS!
Make your Estate Agent aware of selling points such as speaker systems, security systems, underfloor heating etc and other aspects that could be big selling bonuses but are not always overly obvious during viewings.
Let me know your thoughts! Have you found this helpful? Is there anything you would add to it?
Leave a comment below – Would love to hear from you!
Remember to seek professional advice at all key stages – this is just my opinion!