Let’s face it, no one wants their house to be on the market forever. And the longer it is on the market, the more likely you will need to reduce the asking price. The below tips will help you prepare your home so that it gets sold, fast!
1. Do minor repairs
Do you have a couple of little holes on the walls that need to be filled? Or do you have a cracked tile in the bathroom? Is your kitchen tap dripping every few seconds? Fix those now before you put your house on the market, these minor problems can leave a bad impression and the truth is they are so easy to fix.
2. Hire an inspector
Most likely buyers will discover problems with your house after they hire an inspector. But the difference here is they will try to lower the selling prices. So instead of discovering the ugly truth at negotiation time, why not hire an inspector in advance? This way you can already address any problem with your house before you put it on the market.
3. Declutter
Clutter is one of the biggest turn-offs for buyers so make sure you remove excess or non-essential furniture such as bookcases and extra chairs and any items that aren’t used on a daily basis like kitchen gadgets, books, DVDs, little souvenirs away in the loft or in storage.
And don’t forget to declutter on the inside, too. Over-full garage, wardrobe and cupboards create an impression of lack of storage space, so put the excessive items in storage and keep only the essentials in the house clean and organized.
4. De-personalise
Buyers will want to imagine themselves living in the house so it would be good if you removed any personal photos, poster and ornaments and put them in storage.
5. Create illusion of extra space
Moving your furniture around can open up a huge amount of space in you room and can create a better flow. Another thing to do is add mirrors into strategic areas, for example if your hallway is small and narrow. Removing clutter and adding a mirror can do wonders there.
6. Re-paint the house
A layer of fresh paint will work wonders to freshen up your house. Go for a neutral colour rather than something strong as it will be appealing to a wider range of buyers.
7. Create curb appeal
Is the exterior of your house inviting? Does it have curb appeal? You’d want it to look as good as or better than those of your neighbours. Painting the door, adding a new doorknob, a couple of plants or simply cleaning the windows and clearing the gutter can create a good first impression – which counts.
8. Improve kitchen and bathroom
Everyone knows kitchen and bathroom are important parts of the house and therefore you want to make them appealing. However it might not be the most economical to do a major renovation there. So look for things that you can easily do at a low budget for example update the handles on your drawers and cabinets, change the toilet seats, replace the taps, add some extra light fixtures, apply fresh caulk… All the little things can make a difference.
9. Make everything spotless
It’s important that your home is cleaned inside out before any viewing takes place. Consider using a professional cleaner as they will be able to make everything sparkle.
10. Jazz up the garden/terrace
Think of your garden/terrace as a room on its own. Make it tidy, put the non-essential items into storage and put a set of table and chairs there to give buyers idea of how they could entertain the guests outside. You can also invest in a set of solar lights to make it look more inviting – plus this does not require any wiring work.
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