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Once you have agreed a sensible selling price with your Estate
Agent, the next most important thing to do is to make sure that
you present your home to potential purchasers in the best possible
light.
Whilst this subject is not at all new, the following list, even
if you apply only some things from it, will undoubtedly help you
sell your home!
As most decisions to buy a new home are made within the first
15 seconds, try to make your property welcoming and well-maintained:
check the entrance – this is where the buyer gains his
first, and also last, impression, a colourful hanging basket
or plant pot by the door adds a welcoming touch. Also, it is
vital that the hallway is not obstructed, so remove coats and
piles of shoes! Remember; first impressions count
and last impressions last!
•Clean and clean again - ensure your
property is clean as all buyers are put off by dirt. Use scented
candles rather than air freshener that can be overpowering.
Kitchen Areas – Replace any damaged tiles and re-grout if
needed. The oven, floor, sink and appliances should be clean and
shiny. Clear unnecessary items from countertops and remove notes,
kiddies’ pictures and messages from the front of the
fridge. If the kitchen is relatively clear a prospective
buyer will be able to imagine moving in their own belongings.
•Bathrooms – again replace damaged
tiles, clean away lime scale and repair any leaking taps.
Replace or clean shower curtains and bathroom rugs and remove unnecessary
items from around the bath and sink. Coordinating towels
are a nice touch.
•Depersonalise your home - remove
objects such as family photographs, trophies and so on. The
viewer needs to try and imagine themselves living there and will be distracted
from this by evidence of your lifestyle.
•Tidy up! - clutter will immediately
detract from the property. Pack everything you do not use
regularly into boxes and store it away - after all, you will only have to pack
it anyway when you move!
Remove your pets - Many people do not like family pets and will
not consider your property because of this, so remove all traces
of pets such as their food bowls and bedding and try to confine
pets to a specific area of the property.
•Define the living space - It is important
that each room is clearly defined for its true purpose, try to avoid
the typical 'junk room' as your potential buyer will find
it hard to visualise the room in any other way.
•Finish home improvements - complete
those little jobs you started but never got round
to finishing, an incomplete job will signal to a buyer that
there may be other more important jobs you have not finished either.
•Check your lighting - good lighting
is important to show a home as well as natural light, therefore
the removal of net curtains is advised and whilst energy saving is important
and you may not like bright lighting, it is worthwhile replacing
bulbs with brighter ones for the viewing, as light will make
a room feel more spacious.
• Remember the outside areas - your
garden/terrace is an important extension of your living space,
ensure that it is tidy. It is worth considering obtaining a few cheap and colourful
bedding plants to brighten up the area.
Things to avoid:
•distractions
- turn off the TV or stereo as the noise will distract the
buyer from the property.
•Blocking views or features - open
views should be unobstructed, keep windowsills clear, and leave
an unobstructed path to draw the viewer to the view. Similarly, nice
features such as fireplaces should be unobstructed and uncluttered
and should draw the viewers attention as the main feature of
the room.
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