In these tricky times homeowners also need to pull out all the stops to present their home at its absolute best. So, if your house is already for sale or you’re thinking about putting your home on the market, here are Michael Graham’s top five tips for a quick sale:
- Brighten up the garden: Nine out of ten buyers make their mind up within five minutes of arriving at your home so make the outside immaculate. Think striped lawns, raked gravel and freshly painted and polished doors and windows. In reality, views are forming before buyers even step foot into your garden, so clear weeds, refresh gravel and pick up any litter outside your boundary.
- Open windows and doors well before a viewing: Make sure the buyer’s first impression of your home is not the smell of last night’s curry or a damp dog. Kirsty Allsopp, presenter of Location, Location Location, sparked a huge debate recently after she called plug-in air fresheners “unacceptable”. Opening windows is a fresher and more natural way to go, and reed diffusers with essential oils are both subtler and environmentally friendly.
- Banish pet smells: We love our four-legged friends as much as the next person here at Michael Graham, but muddy paws on the sofa and damp dog beds can leave your house with an embedded doggy smell unattractive to potential buyers. The solution? Reach for the vodka bottle. Spritz a small amount of the neat spirit onto fabrics and when it evaporates all unwanted smells will also be gone. Use plain vodka without added flavourings and it shouldn’t affect your fabric colour, but do a test patch first to be on the safe side. Baking soda is another low tech solution. Sprinkle the powder over rugs, carpets and fabrics, give it time to work its magic and then hoover up for a fresher smelling room.
- Avoid major projects: Don’t be tempted to embark on an emergency kitchen or bathroom refit. You almost certainly won’t get your money back. Instead, concentrate on small changes that don’t cost a fortune and can be done over a weekend. Refresh the paintwork on walls and cabinets and make sure work tops and surfaces are clean and clutter-free. People tend to peer inside cupboards too, so make sure they’re not overflowing. You want to give buyers the impression that your house offers even more space than they need.
- Declutter hallways and entrance halls: Shoes, boots and bags dumped by the door are a cardinal sin when you’re trying to sell your home. Buyers need to be struck by a sense of space and serenity when they step over the threshold. Streamline. Put rarely worn coats and shoes into storage boxes or be brutal and have a clear out. Do you really want to box up all that clutter and unpack it in your new house? Use your home being on the market as an opportunity for clearing the decks and making a fresh start.
Do you have a top tip for successful selling? We love hearing your comments. You can find us across all social media channels, on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter, and if you’re thinking of moving house, have a look at the Michael Graham town and country homes available to buy or to rent by clicking the Property Search button on the website.
