Wake up and smell the coffee - top tips for selling your home

1. Focus on your front door. Treat it to a fresh coat of paint and make sure any knobs and knockers are looking pristine too. Sweep the path and put a couple of small trees or colourful plants in pots either side of the door. Show you love your home and other people will too.
    
2. Declutter. The UK has the smallest homes in Western Europe and many buyers are put off by the dreaded clutter. It really is essential to create the impression that your property is light and airy with plenty of storage space. Give away items you no longer want and put infrequently used items into storage. Don’t be tempted just to throw everything into the loft or garage - buyers will be investigating there too.
    
3. Keep it neutral. A lick of neutral paint on the walls will give an instant lift to any room, making it seem lighter and bigger. Whilst bold colour choices are very much a matter of personal taste and can be off-putting, white is never offensive.
    
4. Fix and clean. Call time on those niggling DIY jobs - replace the mouldy sealant in the bathroom, paint over any cracks and repair those leaky taps. Then clean everything until it sparkles.
    
5. Spruce up outside. Channel your inner Monty Don and mow, trim and cut back in the garden. Then arrange any garden furniture to highlight a (hopefully) sunny spot to sit in when the weather warms up.

The devil is in the detail and small cosmetic changes like these are neither expensive nor time-consuming and may well make all the difference between For Sale and Sold. So, if you’re planning to be on the move in 2017, roll up your sleeves and do everything you can to make sure that the first impression is the right impression.