Selling property is big business, and with such a vast choice of houses on the market it’s important that you take the time to make yours stand out and give it that ‘wow’ factor.
We have come up with a few cost-effective ways to make your home more appealing for potential buyers - ensuring a quick and easy sale at the price its worth.
The first thing any prospective buyer will notice when they visit your house is the front garden and entrance, so it’s imperative that you make the effort to ensure the outside of your home looks good – first impressions really do count.
Firstly, make sure your house numbers are visible. Although this may seem like a rather silly task, it will make a difference when selling your home. If potential buyers can’t find your house due to a lack of clear numbering, then all your other hard efforts to create appeal will be wasted. It may be a case of simply cutting back a plant or shrub. However, if your numbers have gone rusty or are missing altogether, there are some inexpensive replacements readily available at hardware stores and home DIY centres.
Repair any fencing or gates which are loose, clean the windows, sweep the doorway – and perhaps lay a new welcome mat. Also consider the landscaping of your gardens, as this will make a huge difference in the overall selling price of your house. In fact, studies have shown that when the landscaping of a home is in excellent condition, it can sell for about 4 to 5 per cent higher, while homes with poor landscaping can sell for 8 to 10 per cent less!
Also, if the soffits and gables on your house are wooden rather than UPVC, it is probably a good idea to treat them for rot and give them a coat of paint to smarten them up.
Secondly, you will need to consider the interior state of your home. A survey by Nationwide found that a huge 90 per cent of potential buyers would be put off by dodgy DIY and over half said that a kitchen was the most important room when looking for a new home. With this in mind it is essential to invest some time and money into fixing and finishing any uncompleted or botched jobs around the house. Give the walls a fresh lick of paint, attend to damp patches and re-grout or plaster over any cracks, dents or holes in the walls. Also see to any dripping taps, creaky doors or stiff handles – minor details can sometimes be the most important.
It’s probably not worth fitting a new kitchen unless you intend to get some use out of it yourself. However, new laminate on the worktops and cupboard doors will go a long way to freshening up the look of your kitchen, as this is the room that can sometimes look dated the quickest.
You should also try to keep everything clean, so you’re not in a state of panic each time a viewing is arranged. It may sound obvious, but make sure all the washing up is cleared away, beds are made and the laundry is out of sight. Wash fingerprints from light switch plates, sweep and mop floors, vacuum the carpets and don’t forget to clean the stove and refrigerator – a clean house will leave a positive first impression and will convince buyers that the home has been well cared for.
Last but not least, air your house of any bad smells, such as cigarette smoke or pets, by opening windows. Smells are important to a prospective buyer and a vase of flowers leaves the perfect finishing touch while creating a fresh fragrance and dash of colour to your home.