FALLING house prices and a cost of living crisis means every penny counts for those looking to buy or sell a property.
But as well as getting the most cost-effective advice from estate agents and solicitors, a profitable property sale really does start at home.
By making a few small changes to how a property looks you can massively boost your chances of securing a quick sale at a great price.
Here interiors expert Kate Conrad from Madison and Mayfair shares her advice on how to ensure your home has the best chance of selling at the best possible price.
Declutter – make sure to declutter your home as much as possible if you want it to sell quickly. Anyone viewing a home that’s full of clutter and mess isn’t likely to be too impressed, so make sure to tidy away everything neatly. Be ruthless. If you haven’t used something in more than a year the chances are you won’t when you move. So take it to the tip.
Lighten Up the Place – No one likes a dark and gloomy home. So, make sure you let in as much natural light as possible and focus on positioning furniture in a particular way to make the most of the light. Lightening up a room can also make it appear bigger than it actually is, which will almost always be a positive in the eyes of a buyer as the bigger, the better.
Fix and clean – Make any minor repairs such as holes in walls, broken door knobs, cracked tiles, torn or threadbare carpets, leaky radiators, and taps. Many buyers want to move in without making changes, so allow for this. Think about what you’d look for when viewing a house. Ask a friend to come round and point out anything they would fix. It can be hard to spot issues in a property you see every day. Fresh eyes can shine a light on areas which need fixing.
A lick of paint – white walls freshly painted compared to white walls four years in can look totally different. And they really can be the difference between a sale and a not sure.
We are not saying re-decorate but a simple coat of paint added to those cobwebs and scuffs can go a long way. Be sure to make the room(s) look as neutral as possible which will allow viewers to better imagine their own style and decor taking shape.
Flowers and plants – And yes, we mean inside. By adding pops of colour or points of interest through flowers and plants, this creates a vibrant look to the respected room. Try placing a vase of fresh-cut flowers on the dining or dressing table.
Maximise empty space – show off your creative skills with empty spaces by adding your own ideas such as shelves, frames, lamp tables and even mirrors to maximise the potential and therefore make a potential buyer think of what they can do themselves.
