With the house-selling season well underway, here are our top ten tips for making your home as attractive as possible to potential buyers.

1 – Know your local area: Potential buyers will want to know about the local area if it’s not one they are already familiar with.  Even when you’ve lived in an area for a long time, it’s possible to overlook things you don’t use or perhaps take for granted. Make sure you are informed about the local schools, transport links, libraries, any planning applications that may affect the immediate area, local services (such as doorstep deliveries), shops, doctors, hospitals, dentists, local walks and points of interest, and so on.

2 – Kerb appeal – First impressions count, so make sure your home looks welcoming and inviting from the outside; clean (or even repaint) your front door, polish any door furniture such as knobs and letterboxes. If the front door has glass panes, make them sparkle. Put potted plants and flowers outside, and remove any debris or discarded items. Fix broken doorbells and outdoor lighting. Hide any wheelie bins that may sit out the front.

3 – Fresh Flowers and houseplants: Simple but effective touches such as vases of fresh flowers or healthy houseplants can really make a difference to the look and feel of a room.

4 – Freshen the paintwork and décor: If some of the paintwork or décor is looking a little tired, invest some time to freshen it up. Neutral colours such as taupe, a subtle grey or even good-old magnolia will make your home look fresh and bright. If you have any walls that feature unconventional or bold colours or wallpaper, it’s worth covering these up with a neutral colour. Don’t forget doors, handrails and skirting boards too.

5 – Tidy the garden: Cut the grass, tidy the flowerbeds, trim hedges and bushes. If you already have garden furniture, give them a clean or a quick lick of paint to smarten them up.  If you don’t have any garden furniture, it’s worthwhile investing in some to help potential buyers see that your garden can be used for entertainment and relaxing, almost as an extension of your indoor living space. 

6 – Get the right lighting: When you have evening viewings, you should carefully consider how your home is lit. Overhead lights are often very harsh and bright; table and floor lamps will provide more subtle lighting. Make sure all the light bulbs work and are the right wattage for the purpose they are being used. Kitchens should be well lit, and you could consider buying some under the counter lights to help add additional lighting and ambience for when the main ceiling lights are not in use.  If you have net curtains or blinds covering the windows, either remove them completely or open them up fully to allow natural light to flood your home during daylight hours.

7 – Make your Home Sparkle: Give your home a thorough deep clean. Make sure you get into all those nooks and crannies we so often overlook. Clean your carpets with a professional carpet cleaner. If time is in short supply, consider getting in professional cleaners. Don’t forget about the windows and exterior doors.

8 – Do all the minor repairs: If any little repair jobs that have been on your to-do list for a while, now is a perfect time to address them. It’s also a good time to carry out some regular maintenance jobs such as oiling hinges, tightening door handles, bleeding radiators, and so on.

9 – Hide unsightly items: Hide away any items that aren’t visually appealing such as pet beds, scratching posts, overflowing toy-boxes, piles of laundry, or unused kitchen appliances that make the kitchen look cluttered and take up valuable worktop space. Pack away anything that you don’t use on a regular basis.

10 – Depersonalise your house: It’s much easier for potential buyers to visualise their own belongings and furniture in a house that is essentially a blank canvas. Keep a few family photos out, but if you have a lot of them, remove all but a small number.  Pack away knick-knacks, ornaments, and personal items so you leave room for potential buyers to imagine themselves living there.

If you would like further advice and information on residential conveyancing, Oratto can help.  Contact Oratto on 0845 3883765 to speak with an adviser or use our contact form to arrange a call-back.

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