How to ensure your house is ready to sell

How to ensure your house is ready to sell

Putting a house up for sale? Then follow these step to ensure your house is ready for the off.

Declutter

Perhaps the most crucial part of selling a house is de-cluttering. Decluttering will make your house look better and larger too, but it can be one of the most difficult aspects of preparing a house for sale. Decluttering can be physically gruelling and emotive too, so enlist some help. Get friends, family or even a professional to help. It can be difficult making decisions about things that mean a lot to you – that’s where an outsider can be particularly helpful – someone who’ll look at your house with fresh eyes and see it as a purchaser would. Declutter and depersonalise your space to get it ready to sell.

Clean

Hand-in-hand with de-cluttering is cleaning. If you want to make a good first impression on your prospective purchasers, then clean until your house sparkles. It’s amazing what you don’t notice when you’ve been living in a house for a while; bathrooms can often be an eyesore – check the plug for hair, plus the grouting, sealant and ceiling for mould. Moreover, open your windows and let the fresh air in – don’t rely on an artificial air freshener.

Niggling repairs

While we’re on the subject of getting your house sale ready, then fix those niggling repairs. You know those repairs you’ve meant to get around to – but haven’t, it will be better for you and for potential purchasers too. Small repairs can lead to larger (more expensive ones) if left too long. What’s more, they can act as red flags to your viewers. Too many red flags and your house will be discounted.

A Lick of paint

Don’t invest in a new bathroom or kitchen – people often replace these anyway and like to put their stamp on things, but do freshen things up with a lick of paint. Choose light, neutral shades that will optimise the space in your house and brighten things up. Don’t choose colours people will have strong feelings about – soft chalky white works well. In a small space especially, think of continuity rather than contrast and consider using paint from a light reflective range. Add pops of colour with small accessories that aren’t permanent; a scatter cushion or the like.

Don’t forget the outside

It’s amazing how many people forget the outside – but it’s the first thing your viewers see. Let your house make a good first impression, tidy, clean and get rid of the rubbish, hide your wheelie bin and give the woodwork a fresh lick of paint, cut the grass and weed your flower beds too. Add some kerb appeal if you can, attractively filled plants pots and window boxes might just do the trick. You might even want to go the extra mile and add a weathervane or a cupola. If you study the History of Cupolas you will find that they are actually quite a beautiful accessory to add to your house.

Be welcoming

Make your viewers feel welcome, leave the parking space free for them, pop some fresh flowers in strategic places and yes maybe you should bake bread or pop on a fresh pot of coffee. Hmmm…

Have your paperwork at the ready

When selling a house, it’s essential you have the paperwork in place, or it could hold up the sale, from guarantees to services and checks. If you’re selling property in probate, help is at hand through a specialist probate property company, who will be able to carry out the paperwork for you and make the process of selling your home pain-free.

Essentially, make it easy for potential buyers to want to buy your house; don’t put obstacles in their way. Follow these steps, and you’ll have the best chance possible of selling your house.

Catherine Avatar