Preparing your home for sale – 5 top tips from a seasoned estate agency

26th November 2020

1. Start with the front door

When a buyer is viewing a property, they’re taking everything in from the moment they turn onto your road.

Whilst you can’t control what the neighbours have done to the front of their house or whether the road sweepers collected the leaves prior to the appointment, you can make sure your property makes the very best first impression.

Not limited to the front door, have you trimmed the bush or painted the wall or fence? Are the path tiles in good condition? Is it worth investing in replacements or simply giving them a clean?

Cleaning the windows is often overlooked, but again every detail contributes to making the best first impression.

Stand on the other side of the road and really take your home in, what would you think if you were a buyer and what could you do to make it better – it’s usually not very costly and most things can be done without professional help.

2. Declutter

Removing clutter from your home,or simply having better storage solutions so the clutter isn’t visible, should be one of the top priorities for those who are preparing their house for sale. This is especially important since buyers are choosing to study a property’s images and virtual tours online in advance of arranging a viewing in person – clutter does not make for good online viewing.

Rooms that are too busy often appear smaller and it can be incredibly difficult for a potential buyer to imagine their furniture fitting into space that is crammed filled with belongings. Buyers will also want to look inside built-in storage, so try not to just stuff your belongings behind doors. It’s important to demonstrate that your home has adequate storage.

Selling a house when you have children presents unique challenges especially when there are lots of toys to contend with, so it’s worth putting as many (as is reasonable) away in the loft or in a cupboard.

The effort of tidying these away temporarily won’t go unnoticed and might well contribute to a quicker sale. Furthermore, when they’re brought back out again it’ll be like Christmas morning!

3. Maintenance

Once you’ve cleared your property of clutter, you’re likely to notice more scuffs, bumps and scrapes. Buyers can become very critical and are often put off by the idea of any DIY.

Simple home maintenance, giving the property a fresh lick of paint, tightening door handles, replacing bulbs and generally going over the property to check everything is in working order is a good idea. Buyers are taking more time to study a property online; scuff marks and damaged cupboard doors can make your property stand out for all the wrong reasons and perhaps put a potential buyer off viewing.

Don’t overlook the garden either! No matter what season, the garden is always important when preparing your home for sale. Cut back trees and bushes, tidy plants and mow the lawn. If its spring or summer bring out the garden furniture (be sure to give it a clean!) to set the scene and, if possible, plant some colourful flowers.

4. Deep clean

After you’ve decluttered and tackled any maintenance issues, the cobwebs in the corner of the ceiling and the limescale that’s mounted on the shower head are going to stand out.

From the oven to the carpets, giving your property a deep clean is an important step when preparing your house for sale. Depending on how much time you have or whether you enjoy cleaning you can usually give the property a deep clean yourself, or alternatively pay a professional cleaning company.

The difference in not only how clean and shiny everything is, but how your home will smell fresh and clean upon entering will make a huge difference to potential buyers.

Some people love animals and are thrilled to find the home is perfectly suited to their dog or cat as demonstrated by the current inhabitants. However, be mindful though that not everyone loves animals and might even be allergic so it can be a good idea to send your dog to the groomer and to wash his or her bedding too in advance of viewings beginning.

5. Set the scene

Whilst decluttering is important, try not to be too extreme-there’s a fine balance. Whilst you want to remove all the unnecessary items, removing all traces of personality can make a home seem cold and uninviting, and ultimately not a place a potential buyer could imagine living in.

Soft furnishings, splashes of colour, art and photographs can all add to the welcoming feel of a property so try not to eradicate all signs of life.

There’s a reason professional home staging companies are often employed by developers to make their properties ultra-saleable. Buyers will be looking for a lifestyle as well as a home and setting the scene to enable them to imagine living in your property can hugely boost saleability. Add fresh flowers before viewings if possible and open all the curtains to fill your home with light. If the weather is good, open windows to let fresh air in.

Having sold homes in West London for over a decade, we can competently advise sellers on what works and what doesn’t, what is needed to boost a property’s saleability, and what steps to take to achieve the best possible price in the current market.