It is vital to capture a buyers’ interest immediately when selling a house because first impressions really do count. For this reason it is really important to ensure that the front of your house is presentable.
You should give your house a makeover before putting it on the market – don’t wait until after the real estate agent has taken photos. Tidy the front garden, ensure that the grass is well maintained and all shrubs and plants are under control. Any plants that are looking past their best should be removed or replaced. A good driveway is important so repair damaged areas, remove weeds and consider giving it a thorough wash with a jet spray.
Clean your windows and give wooden window frames and fascia boards a new coat of paint. Check that all your guttering is clean and tidy too. One simple way to make your home look really appealing is to install some traditional wooden shutters, which will make your house stand out and look unique.
Once you have made the house more presentable from a distance, start to work on the finer details. Clean your front door and polish brass fittings. Make sure the doorbell is working properly and that the outside light is working. If you get a viewing late in the day remember to turn the light on. It is also a good idea to hide your trash cans around the back of the house and make sure the garage door is closed (and clean) when viewers arrive.
Of course, a fantastic house fascia should not be let down by an untidy or aged interior. The key rules to making a house look presentable to prospective buyers is to clean, declutter and decorate.
Clean your house
Thoroughly clean your home before putting it on the market and ensure that it remains clean for each viewing. Have your carpets professionally washed, give the entire house a spring clean and make sure that the kitchen and bathrooms are always spotless. Nobody lives in a house that is perfectly clean all the time, but a viewer will still expect to see a home that looks more like a show house than a family home.
Declutter
Remove all unnecessary items from your home, package them up and store them away out of sight. People are more likely to purchase a house that provides them with a blank canvas to work with.
Decluttering also involves making more space. Consider removing coffee tables and footstools from living rooms to give the illusion of more space. Clear kitchen worktops of all but the essential few electrical items, such as a kettle and toaster.
Bedrooms should also look immaculate. Remove items from the top of dressing tables and bedsides, put away extra pillows and blankets and keep the curtains tied back to allow in maximum light.
Decorate
If your walls have not been decorated for many years it is a good idea to decorate. Decorating a home is a small investment that can significantly increase the chances of making a sale.
When it comes to selling your home a little extra care can go a long way. If you can make your house look more like a show home people will be more likely to pay the asking price. Buyers will often use dated parts of the home as bartering tools so the less work that needs doing, the harder it is for the buyer to knock the price down.