There are a lot of things to consider if you’re wondering how to sell your house for the best price and in the least time possible. From quick fixes to more extensive work, spending time, energy and a little cash before putting your home on the market can increase its value and appeal.
To help your sale run as smoothly and successfully as possible, here we’ve put together 10 great tips on what to do when selling a house.
10 Top Tips for Selling Your House
1. Ramp up your kerb appeal
First things first, you need to sort out your kerb appeal. When someone pulls up outside your house for a viewing, what’s the first thing they see?
Your home only gets one chance to make a first impression, and cracked paint, spiderwebs and faded front doors will provide potential buyers with a poor one. Consider painting exterior woodwork, sprucing up your gateposts or giving your front door a new stylish makeover. Simple things such as tidying up your front garden and putting some nice plants on display will also provide a great first impression.
2. Get your garden on point
It doesn’t matter if you have a tiny paved courtyard or a vast expanse of grass in a sweeping garden, ensuring any outdoor space is looking its best is another way to impress potential buyers.
You want people viewing your home to imagine themselves sitting outside with a glass of wine on a sunny day, playing with their kids or letting the dog roam free. So, tidy up any garden mess, tools or toys and mow the lawn to present a relaxing, beautiful space. And get your flower beds and potted plants popping with colour.
3. Declutter indoors
Of course, presenting a lovely space indoors is just as important as making sure everything’s shipshape outside. Walking into a house full of mess isn’t going to impress a prospective buyer, who wants to imagine their potential new home filled with their own things.
You need to present your house as a blank canvas, so tidy away as many of your things as possible. This includes putting away your family photos if you have a lot of them around your home. You want your buyers to picture themselves living there, not you. Decluttering will also make your home appear more spacious, which is a key consideration for most homebuyers. If you have a lot of personal items or furniture, put them in the loft of it that isn't an option into storage.
4. Deep clean
No potential buyer wants to walk into a dirty house. It may seem obvious, but giving your home a deep clean prior to any viewings will only enhance its appeal. Clean from top to bottom, making sure you get rid of any dust, grime and cobwebs. Use good products to remove any stains from your carpets and sofas, clean both the inside and outside of your windows, and polish up things like taps and mirrors. Don't forget that it helps if your home smells nice as well.
Freshly baked bread is a bit of a cliché but subtle scents can help to give the right impression. Whilst your home definitely needs to be clean, go easy on the bleach as this can be overpowering and make potential buyers feel like you have something to hide.
5. Install a new kitchen and bathroom
Many people wanting to know how to sell a house quickly, choose to install a new kitchen or bathroom, or indeed both, before going to market. This can add serious value to your home (increasing it by as much as 5%), and gain the interest of buyers who want to move in straightaway without having to do any work themselves.
Remember though, that some buyers are on the lookout for a project that they can make their own and might be put off by the higher price tag. You could think about ways to spruce up your home without resorting to a full refit. Deep cleaning kitchens and bathrooms can bring them back to life, whilst fitting new cupboard doors or painting the ones you already have is another cost saving way to entice buyers. Cleaning, grouting and replacing mouldy sealants is an inexpensive way of making rooms look much more attractive.
6. Redecorate
Even if it’s not possible to install a new kitchen or bathroom, redecorating can also have a significant impact on your home’s appeal. Whether you get your brushes and rollers out yourself or you pay someone to do it, giving your walls, ceilings and woodwork a fresh coat of paint will breathe new life into your home. If you're doing this, it's important to remember that a neutral colour can often be the most appealing to potential buyers, even if personally you prefer a stronger colour palette.
7. Repair
You can also give your house a new lease of life by taking care of all those little repairs that have been building up over the years. From fixing handles to lubricating squeaky doors and stopping that dripping tap, this is an opportunity to get everything in proper order again. That also goes for replacing broken light bulbs, blinds and shower curtains.
8. Let there be light
Beyond simply replacing broken bulbs, another great way to add a sense of space in your home is to increase the lighting.
You can improve the natural light by getting rid of dark, heavy curtains and fully opening blinds to let as much light into your home as possible. Consider also cutting back any trees, bushes or plants that block light and don't forget to clean your windows.
You can also add some well-placed lamps in various spots around your home, or increase the wattage of bulbs to enhance the light in darker rooms.
9. Consider potential options for planning
Many people have big plans for their new home, and showing that you’ve thought of that may tip the balance in your property’s favour. Obtaining planning permission for things like extensions and conversions doesn't cost very much, but can demonstrate to a potential buyer that the dreams they have could become a reality.
10. Take advantage of the options you have when buying new
There are plenty of ways you can reduce your stress levels and cut the cost when you’re selling your house to buy another. One of the best options is to buy a new build home. As well as enjoying the peace of mind that you’re moving into a brand new property built to exacting modern standards with plenty of mod cons and perks, initiatives such as our Part Exchange scheme can also remove the stress of sellinng your current property, if your new home qualifies.
With this, we could buy your existing home from you as part of your purchase with us. This means you won't be in a chain that has the potential to break down at any point through no fault of your own, while you won't have to find a buyer or pay any estate agent fees.
Or perhaps you'd rather go for our Movemaker scheme, where we'll help you sell your existing home, based on the selling price we agree together. This allows you to reserve a new home before finding a buyer, while also potentially saving thousands of pounds on estate agent fees.
If you're looking to buy a new home or have any questions about the home buying process, get in touch with our team today.