Preparing your property for sale can be a very stressful (and expensive) ordeal. Whether photographs are being taken for marketing or a potential buyer is visiting to take a look round, the appearance of your home and the first impression it gives is vital. Here are a few tips to help you prepare…
Complete re-decoration isn’t always necessary
You do not have to re-decorate your home – but it is always essential to ensure your property is tidy. If you have the budget to have your carpets professionally cleaned then this is normally money well spent. Carpet cleaning machines are also available for hire in most large supermarkets if you fancy a bit of DIY. Ensure the kitchen and bathroom are thoroughly scrubbed and well-ventilated and keep clutter on the surfaces to a bare minimum. Make sure all of the floors are free from loose objects (such as children’s toys, have them help out and put them away in a toy chest) and that all beds are neatly made with curtains/blinds open to let natural light into the room.
Kerb appeal
Have a look from your property from the outside and appraise it in the same way a buyer would. Anything that might look shabby to your eye will also appear the same to a prospective purchaser. No matter what time of year, ensure the gardens are tidy and that the path to the front door is clear of leaves, obstacles or anything else that might get in the way.
Use rooms for their proper purpose
If the dining room is no longer referred to by it’s proper name but is now a ‘man cave’, it’s time to put your foot down. If you are able to, it would help when selling your property to keep rooms for the purpose they are designed to serve; putting a dining table back into the space and dressing the room as it was intended to be used can be a winning tactic.
Last of all…
PREPARE
Your valuer or a viewer may want to know a little bit more about the property and they may throw some questions at you which might make you temporarily forget how to speak. The only way to be ready for these questions is to prepare and do your research. Some things you might get asked could include…
How old is the boiler?
What year was the property built?
What are the internet speeds like in the area?
How much is the council tax?
What are the neighbours like?
Which boundaries belong to the property?
Has the property ever flooded?
Any problems with crime? (Burglaries, vandalism etc)
Are the roads gritted in the snow?
Being knowledgable of your property can be absolutely vital, try and learn as much as possible or if you do not have access to the information at the time of the question, offer to get in touch with the estate agency after you have done some research and found the answer.
You will have heard the cliché ‘first impressions’, but research has shown that a potential buyer will have an ’emotional response’ to a property within the first ten seconds, be it in person or if they see images on the internet. First impressions can be extremely useful when utilised correctly, but if you get it wrong, it could mean the difference between a sale or a complete fail.
