If you’re looking to secure a quick house sale, these ten easy tips could add real value to your property and get buyers fighting to make you an offer:
- Declutter: It’s probably the most obvious tip, yet sadly one that many people ignore. Decluttering will not only free up space and make your property appear larger, it will also de-personalise the property for the potential buyer and help them to picture themselves living in the property.
- Neutralise décor: Strong colours and overly personalised taste in home décor are notoriously effective in putting potential buyers off. Your property should look as neutral as possible in order to appeal to the widest audience possible. Buyers are scraping together every penny they have for their deposit, so they want to buy something they can move straight into, without having to decorate every room.
- Neutralise strong odours: Whether you’re a smoker or you have pets, strong odour in a property can really put potential buyers off. Neutralise the smell on any linen, blankets or cushion covers by washing them in a mixture of laundry detergent and ¼ cup of apple cider vinegar (or you can buyer pet odour removers in most pet shops). On carpets and furniture, a liberal sprinkling of baking soda, spread around the fabric with a clean brush, left overnight and then vacuumed up should remove the smell.
- Clean carpets: Clean carpets can really impact a potential buyer’s overall impression of the property. If your carpets could do with a bit of a refresh, a professional carpet cleaning will be well worth the money.
- Make outdoor space look manageable and inviting: Outdoor space should be kept neat and tidy. Any areas that look like they require work will be off-putting to potential buyers. Ensure the front of your property is well-maintained and any rear outdoor space is used to its full potential. If you have enough room consider creating a separate outdoor ‘entertaining’ space in addition to any turfed area.
- Cleanliness is next to godliness: Never has this saying been more true than when it comes to windows! Freshly washed windows let in additional light, making your property feel lighter, brighter and more spacious.
- Tackle any leftover DIY jobs: Are there any little left over DIY jobs you’ve neglected? Perhaps a bulb that needs changing, a door handle that needs re-attaching, a switch that needs replacing? Now is the time to tackle any small DIY jobs you’ve been putting off – if a potential buy spots a small job, they’ll wonder what bigger jobs you’ve neglected to finish…
- Consider a fresh lick of paint: A fresh coat of paint will leave your property looking and smelling ‘refreshed’. If you don’t have time to re-paint rooms, washing down the walls with diluted sugar soap can be a good alternative. Just add one tablespoon of sugar soap to 590ml of warm water and stir after that. You can Dip a cloth, sponge or cleaning brush in the mixture and rub the mixture onto the walls, starting at the top and working your way down. Fill a bottle with water and spray onto the wall. You can use a towel to soak up the moisture and remove the remaining sugar soap residue.
- Declutter kitchen surfaces: Decluttering your kitchen surfaces will not only make your kitchen look cleaner, it will also make it look bigger. Hiding away small appliances like kettles and toasters is not something most people would think of, but it can make a real impact on the look and feel of your kitchen, which in turn can make or break a property sale.
- Use mirrors to give the illusion of space and light: A few strategically placed mirrors can make a property feel lighter, brighter and more spacious. Use them sparingly though to avoid making your home feel like a ‘hall of mirrors’!
Bonus tip: Don’t forget the little things; a small bunch of flowers can brighten up your living space and make a property feel like a ‘home’.
For more tips on selling your house quickly, visit Quick Move Now