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Top Tips for Putting your Home on the Market

Mon 01 Jul 2019

When you put your property on the market, potential buyers looking around on viewings desperately want to imagine themselves living in your property. By making an effort to show your home at its best, you’ll be helping them to imagine the space working for them. Here are some of our top tips on getting your property market ready, and showing off its best assets!

First impressions count


Many potential buyers will drive past and visit the property they've booked to view before the scheduled viewing. This makes a tremendous case for making sure the outside of your property is as visually appealing as possible. Here are some things to think about:

  • Mow the grass
  • Trim hedges / other overgrown greenery
  • Remove weeds
  • Remove rubbish or debris - put the bins out of sight if possible
  • Consider giving window frames and doors a fresh coat of paint
  • If your outside space is a little bit bland, plant some colour in pots and place around your property to add to the curb appeal.

Living areas

  • Get rid of clutter. To you, family photos, precious artwork created by children and holiday fridge magnets hold years of memories and reminders of special times, but it also makes it harder for viewers to imagine themselves living in the space. Really evaluate what you have on show, and think about how certain features such as fireplaces or big windows might be accentuated if they are surrounded by less.
  • The lighter the better! It really adds a sense of space to a room. Pull back curtains fully and remove photo frames or vases from window sills to make the most of natural light.
  • Keep rooms well ventilated. Regularly open windows to let fresh air into the property. You might not notice ‘stale’ air, living in the property – but viewers will pick up on it!

Space and order

  • Buyers will want to look everywhere before making their decision whether or not to make an offer, so it’s important to make an effort with every room in the house, not just living room, kitchen and bathroom!
  • Kids bedrooms: Keep toys organised, and box up any that ‘overflow’ available storage space. This might seem like a thankless task sometimes, but trust us,  taking a few minutes to make sure there’s no stray Lego is really important!
  • Don’t forget spaces like the loft and built-in cupboards are easy to overlook, but it’s important to get them organised too. Not only does this have the benefit of impressing buyers, but it also means that when someone falls in love with your property and makes an offer, your packing will be so much easier!
  • Make the beds! Even in rooms which could be seen as fairly cluttered, a made bed makes the absolute world of difference. Plump up those pillows!

Bathrooms and WCs

  • Say no to mould Make sure your windows are open long enough to get rid of any excess moisture. If you already have some pickling on show, get some anti-mould spray and give it a scrub, even if it’s nothing sinister it can be a really off-putting sight to buyers.
  • Clear away any children’s plastic bath toys, shampoo, sponges, bubble bath, and all of the things which have a habit of collecting in bathrooms and becoming invisible.
  • Put out clean, dry, folded towels ~ if these are freshly washed, they’ll add to a pleasant washing aroma!

Kitchen

  • Clean and polish all surfaces, fittings, handles, cupboard fronts, and appliances
  • Clean the oven, and any integrated appliances included in the sale
  • Make sure surfaces are clear and free from clutter – this includes the sink and draining area.
  • Let in a blast of fresh air to get rid of any stale cooking smells. It might be a cliche, but it’s a fact that the smells of fresh coffee and baking bread are the most appealing to potential buyers so if you feel up to it, by all means, go full bake-off!
  • It's a good idea to make sure pet bowls are hidden. It can be off-putting for people who are not animal lovers.

And on the subject of pets

  • Finally, you love your pets but potential buyers may not be so keen. Ask a friend or neighbour to take care of them during a viewing so that they don’t distract (or scare) potential buyers away from viewing your property.
  • Ask a friend if they can smell 'animals' when they enter your home as often, pet owners become accustomed to the aroma of wet dog.  You may be advised to shampoo the carpets before you start viewings.

We hope this is helpful, and we wish you all the luck in the world selling your home. If you’d like to remove luck from the equation, then get in touch with one of our sales team and we’ll be happy to help you on your way to selling so that you can find your own dream home!

If you wish to speak to a member of our sales or lettings team about marketing your property for sale or rent, just click here