First Impressions Count

Many potential buyers will drive past a house before they arrange a viewing; if they don`t like what they see from the outside, then they`re unlikely to call the estate agent. Have a general tidy up in the garden: dig out any weeds, cut the grass, and add a few seasonal flowers. Take a step back and see if any woodwork needs a fresh coat of paint.

Make sure the guttering is clear and have the windows and frames washed. All toys and tools should have a home, so tidy up anything that`s been left outside and try and store it away in packing boxes or out of sight in the shed or garage. If possible, don`t have your bins right outside the front of the house. Try and hide around the back if you have the space and access.

Forget the Personal Touch

We all love to add the finishing touches to our home, but this can have a negative effect when you`re trying to sell. You need to let viewers imagine living in your home, use, and they can`t do that with reminders of your family life everywhere. Before any viewings, you should take down all the family holiday snaps and children`s paintings. When it comes to redecorating, avoid any bright colours. Instead, opt for more neutral colour schemes. These will not only make your rooms appear bigger and brighter, but they`ll also mean that buyers won`t have to decorate as soon as they move in.

De-clutter

No matter how tidy we try to be, we all accumulate bits and pieces throughout our lives. When you`re preparing to sell your home, it`s the perfect time to get rid of some of these. Throw away or donate anything that you`ve not used for ages or don`t need.

Items that you want to keep should be put away, including DVDs, books, and ornaments. You might be aiming at the family market, but toys can immediately make a room look messy, so try and find storage solutions for these.

Spring Clean

Before your house goes on the market, you need to give it a proper clean, getting into all those corners that you normally miss. Then, before every viewing, you should give everything a once-over, including cleaning the cooker hobs and oven, mopping the floors, scrubbing the bath and sinks, going round the skirting borders, and washing the inside of the windows. To make everything fresh before viewing, open the windows for a bit and place clean towels in the bathroom and fresh linen on the beds.

Repairs

We are all guilty of putting essential repairs to one side during our busy lives. However, cracks in the wall or chipped paintwork will be noticed by fussy viewers, so make sure everything is sorted beforehand. This includes replacing broken light bulbs, fixing leaky taps, and sprucing up kitchen cupboards.

It doesn’t have to cost a fortune to give your house a fresh look. You could brighten a room up simply by adding a rug. If you`re not sure what needs doing, then maybe invite a trusted friend round to give you an honest opinion.