So, you are looking to move on from your current home. Here are our top tips when preparing your house for sale, and in doing so you’re increasing your chances of achieving the highest value possible.
Maximise kerb appeal
Kerb appeal creates a lasting first impression – most buyers make up their minds in the first few minutes of arriving at a property.
Kerb appeal specifics include well-maintained windows and a roof that appears in good condition. A well-maintained front garden, pathways and fences and a well-painted property were also important.
Declutter
Inside your property, get rid of items that have accumulated. Put it in storage, give it away, sell it or bin it. Remove any bulky furniture that makes the room feel small and replace with smaller furniture. People need to be able to envisage what the property would look like if they were living there.
But, don’t make it look like a generic hotel; leave some personality. People are often buying into a lifestyle as much as a property.
Fix and clean
Make any minor repairs – holes in walls, cracked tiles, torn or threadbare carpets. Many buyers want to move in without making changes, so allow for this.
Clean everything. Get rid of limescale, clean and repair tile grout, wax wooden floors, get rid of odours. This will make the place more appealing and allow viewers to imagine living there.
Tidy the garden: cut bushes back, clean the patio and furniture, and cut the grass. While this doesn’t add much value to your home, it makes it more likely to sell as people visualise themselves using the garden.
A fresh lick of paint
Giving your walls a fresh lick of neutral paint will make your home seem lighter and bigger. It will enable the viewers to more easily imagine how they would adapt the rooms to their needs. It will be easier for the buyers to move in and use the rooms immediately.
Light and airy
Wall mirrors make a room look much bigger and lighter. Consider putting some up, especially in smaller rooms or hallways. Making the place feel light and airy makes rooms feel bigger and the property more attractive.
Give rooms the right purpose
We don’t always use rooms for the purpose they were intended; we may use a dining room as a bedroom, or a spare bedroom as a study or extra storage space.
Some buyers find it hard to see beyond the current use of a room, so talk to your agent about what sort of buyers you are targeting. If you are marketing a room as a bedroom, make sure it looks like there is room for a bed – this means removing excess belongings and clearing floor space.
Gather all documents and info about your home
As well as good presentation, prospective buyers will often want to know more specific details about your home, its condition and the location. Help your agent with the property description, by providing documentation about any work done to the property, or information about the property’s facilities or fixtures. Ensure that the information you provide is accurate, so that there are no surprises for the buyer during the survey or later in the buying process.
Some of the paperwork to consider includes:
- HM Land Registry title documents
- Boiler installation and gas checks completed by a Gas Safe registered engineer (or Corgi-registered engineer prior to 2009)
- Planning permission for any major work carried out
- Building regulation completion certificates and builder’s guarantee certificates for alterations or additions
- Electrical checks – an Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR) or a NAPIT or NICEIC certificate/report from a registered electrical competent person
- Energy Performance Certificates
- FENSA or CERTAS certificates for windows
- Subsidence guarantees/warranties
- Damp guarantees/warranties
- If a listed building, listed building consent for interior and exterior works
- If your home is in a conservation area, conservation area consent for works
- Any title insurance policies you may have taken out to solve title defects
We are here to help you with your mortgage. Our experienced brokers are available today to find the solution that best suits your personal circumstances.
Please contact us on 020 8154 7280