6^th May 2022

Top ten ways to make your home more sellable

If you’re thinking of putting your house on the market and embarking on one of the – on average – eight moves that we make during our lifetime, you’ll certainly want to have everything in your favour. A sale that drags on is frustrating for everyone up and down the chain, as well as the professionals who you’ve engaged to progress the transaction for you, so it’s worth doing everything in your power – and budget – to make your home stand out.

Our top ten tips for making your property as desirable as possible are as follows:

1) Keep it clean
You don’t get a second chance to make a first impression, so it’s crucial to present your home in the best way. That means keeping it as clean as possible and, above all, neutralising any nasty odours. One of the first things that a potential buyer will notice as they come through the front door is the smell, so be sure to empty bins and create an ambience that is fresh and welcoming. Freshly baked, bread, filter coffee and cut flowers can all set the tone and make your home appear homely and inviting. It can also pay to deep clean your carpets and avoid cooking foods that can have a lingering after smell close to the viewing.

2) Solve little niggles
Although a viewing can be conducted at a reasonable pace, there’s still the chance that an eagle-eyed buyer might notice some or all of the niggly issues that have been on your to do list for months. Before you commit to viewings, check each room for visible faults such as cracked tiles, scuffed paintwork, loose skirting or signs of damp. The last thing you want is for your potential buyer to think that more significant issues may lurk beneath the surface, so spending time now rectifying issues such as these will pay dividends further down the line.

3) Let there be light
Natural light ranks very highly with buyers, so allowing daylight and sunshine in will help to sell your property. And if you have certain corners or even entire rooms that are a little on the dark side, be sure to introduce some strategic lighting to make them seem less dull. If you have thick, heavy curtains, consider changing them for a lighter alternative, and introduce a mirror here and there to reflect daylight into areas where it’s lacking.

4) Consider your kitchen
It’s common knowledge that the kitchen is the one room that can instantly sell a property, especially if it offers open plan living. If your kitchen is in tip-top condition, that’s great, but if it’s looking a little worse for wear, why not consider repainting it, touching up – or if necessary replacing – the cabinetry, changing the handles and upgrading the lighting. And it goes without saying that de-cluttering the work surfaces and cleaning your appliances will help people see the kitchen in its purest form. Whatever you do to improve the kitchen will have a positive effect on potential buyers, so it’s worth investing some time and money here if needed.

5) Give your bathroom some TLC
Bathrooms are likely to be a close second to kitchens on today’s buyers’ wish lists, and they will definitely appreciate a high-quality shower. A neutral shade on the walls can make the bathroom feel larger, while clean units, tiles and flooring will show it off in its best light.

6) Freshen up your flooring
Stained carpets and scratched vinyl floor tiles can create a bad impression, so it’s worth hiring a carpet cleaner – or engaging a professional – to ensure that your carpets are as clean as they possibly can be. Cleaning the carpet can also fill a room with a fresh scent, which can be a powerful selling point. If you have solid wood flooring, it can be helpful to sand and restore it, but don’t overlook the fact that the odd imperfection can also add to the room’s character…

7) Put your green fingers to work
The approach to the property will be the first thing a prospective purchaser sees, so be sure to tidy up the drive, hedges, flower beds and lawn. Introducing some colourful plants in both the front and back gardens can be a worthwhile investment. The aim here is to convey that the gardens have been well maintained and are easy to manage, while also presenting an inviting environment in which to spend those long summer days and evenings.

8) Play to your strengths
Whatever the type of property you’re selling, and irrespective of its size, the best way to ensure it sells quickly and at the right price is to place yourself in the potential purchaser’s position. Step back and think about who your home will appeal to most of all – whether a single person, a professional couple, a young family or a retired couple – and ensure you’ve ticked all the boxes for that audience. Emphasise the aspects that your chosen target market will appreciate, whether it’s an open plan layout for a young family or the period features attractive to a more mature buyer.

9) Leave a little to the imagination
Much as you may love your gallery of family photos or your shrine to your favourite sport star or rock band, that’s unlikely to be to everyone’s taste, so remove some or all of your personal items. Above all, remember that less is more, so providing a blank canvas can allow buyers to imagine how they would place their own individual stamp on your property.

10) Exaggerate the potential
Homes with potential sell more quickly, so if you think that the concept of extra space would be attractive you can explore options such as planning permission for an extension or conversion, for example. If this consent is already in place, a buyer who might be looking to extend will be attracted by the leg work you’ve already undertaken.

For Andrew Ward, owner of Award Property Management, putting your property on the market at the right price is only half the battle. ‘Here at Award we work with our seller clients on several levels,’ comments Andrew. ‘Clearly, we want to ensure that we achieve the best possible price, but without alienating potential buyers. By the same token, we strive to sell the property quickly too, and unlike most estate agents we work with clients to ensure that they’ve taken all the steps to present the property as attractively as they can. If we feel that there are issues that might jeopardise the sale, we’ll always bring them to the client’s attention in the hope that they can be resolved prior to any viewings.’

Award Property Management are estate and letting agents in Cambridge. If you need any help and advice on how to sell or rent your property, please get in touch.