Getting your home ready to sell

Have you decided to put your house on the market?  Currently there is a sellers market, in that there are not as many properties so the ones that are on, are going within days.  If you are hoping to sell your house quickly, you might just be lucky – but you do need to make sure its ready for selling. Getting your home ready to sell is relatively simple and low cost, but should be done properly, so that you can get the most profit.

The best way to prepare for selling your home is by staging it. Staging will make your house look more attractive and feel like a good investment to potential buyers.

Decluttering is the first step of every home staging process. It’s about clearing out all the unnecessary items and leaving only those that serve a purpose for your family and guests. The goal is to create a space that feels calm and simple, so it can be sold as quickly as possible.  Clutter creates a sense of disorder, which disturbs the calmness of the environment. Box everything personal up and store in a garage or shed.  If you have too much, consider a storage centre

Fix broken furniture and broken fixtures.  Even though you aren’t selling the furniture, a broken old table implies that you aren’t taking care of your belongings – so are you taking care of your house?

Update outdated kitchen appliances with new ones – most people want a dishwasher now, so if there is room for one, make sure you point it out.

Freshen up paint work and decorate if necessary.  If your kids rooms are very bright, it might be a good idea to paint over with a more neutral colour. Some buyers will be put off if they have to do a lot of decorating before moving in.

Change tired old carpets to a good quality herringbone parquet flooring.  It will completely transform the look of the house, and will show your prospective buyers that yours is a quality home.  You can put this in the hallway for a lower cost wow factor, or throughout the whole downstairs for a fantastic high end effect.

Make sure everything is clean and shiny.  Even if your bathroom suite could do with replacing, make sure you show it to its best effect.  Replace the grout, and put a reed diffuser in to fragrance the air.  Don’t rush round putting bleach down the loo as it puts people off!

It can seem like a daunting task to prepare your home for sale. But with the right preparation now, you can add thousands to the price of your property.  Good luck!