Steps to take BEFORE you get an agent round...
So you’re selling your home, and you’re not quite sure how to go about it. Before you instruct your estate agent, there are a number of steps that you can take to ensure a quick, smooth process. Check out our handy guide below.
Clean
This may sound like the most obvious step, but you should consider a deep-clean. This would include the standard vacuuming and dusting but goes further. Clean your windows, inside and out. Dusting the skirting boards and wash the walls. Pull out furniture and clean the floors and walls underneath. Airing the house is an important part of your deep clean! The fresh air will help get rid of any cooking smells, as well as the smell of cleaning products.
Declutter
You might have shelves full of old books and magazines that you’re unlikely to ever open again. Get rid! Put away most ornaments and even declutter walls if you have lots of paintings and pictures up. A few strategically placed ornaments and pictures can add a touch of class, but too many and your home will be cluttered with a touch of hoarding! Throw out any old coats or shoes in your cloakroom and tidy up anything that makes your home ‘too you’.
Decorate and fix minor issues
You spilt red wine on your cream rug? You scratched the paint when moving furniture? The lamp shades in your living room have been there since 1982? Decorate! A lick of paint, a new rug, and new lampshades can be quick fixes and cost-effective. Equally, if that bright red feature wall seems a little bit outdated, paint it. Make sure doors open and close easily, and oil the hinges if you have any squeaking. When decorating, remember to use a neutral palate with lots of white, cream and pale grey. This allows potential buyers to add their own tastes to the house.
Research your area
Research your area to allow you to best market your home. If you live in a trendy neighbourhood, take into account what potential buyers might be looking for, for example, low-maintenance gardens for time-stretched young professionals. Likewise, in a family area, you could market your second living area as a ‘family room’. If there are a high number of elderly residents likely to consider buying your home, change the bath to a more accessible shower.
Change converted rooms back
You don’t have planning permission for a loft-conversion? Change it back into storage! Your teenage son used the guest bedroom as a personal living space with a settee, TV and Playstation? Change it back to a bedroom! A potential buyer wants to see and imagine the house as their home.
Outside space
If you’ve abandoned the garden and have let nature take over, you may want to hire a gardener to cut the grass and tidy up the flower beds. Store your bins in a corner or around the side of the house, out of sight. Pick up any old footballs and tennis rackets, and put away the decaying clothes line. Spray or pull out any weeds and wash or repaint any outside walls and fences.
Getting all this done BEFORE instructing an estate agent will give you a head start!