Thinking of moving house this year? There was a record number of people putting their homes onto the market Boxing Day 2024. In fact there was a 26% increase compared with Boxing Day 2023. This boost in market activity has been coined the ‘Boxing Day Bounce’ and is often a positive indicator for the year to come! Moving house isn’t an every day occurrence and in fact only happens 1.8 times for the average person in their lifetime. Therefore most people don’t have much experience making their house market ready. However making your house appealing to buyers is super important. On average a buyer will know if they want to make an offer within 8 minutes of viewing a property. That’s 8 minutes to wow potential buyers. Here’s a simple guide on how to get your home ready to sell.
Step One: De-clutter
The first thing to do when getting your home ready to sell is to declutter. Before you accept any viewings, your estate agent will arrange photographs to be taken of your home. These will then be listed on property websites such as Rightmove or Zoopla. Low quality photos of cluttered, messy homes will put potential buyers off.
Top tips:
- Don’t just shove everything into a cupboard! Remember potential buyers can explore every nook in your home. They’ll come across mess that you’ve hidden away and may think if there isn’t enough storage for you then there won’t be enough for them.
- Instead tidy things away into drawers or storage boxes
- Throw away as much as possible.
Step Two: Do Initial Deep Clean
Just before you accept your first viewing or open-day deep clean your entire property. It’s important to try keep it clean from this point on. In reality I know that’s tough when you’re working and are busy. It is possible to focus your efforts on a few of the most important rooms (see step three).
Top Tips: Consider hiring a carpet cleaner to clean soft furnishings such as carpets and curtains.
Step Three: Regularly Deep Clean Bathrooms and Kitchen
If you have lots of viewings over many weeks, or months, then constantly cleaning your home to such a high standard can become tiring. The two rooms which are most expensive for homeowners to upgrade are bathrooms and kitchens. Focus your efforts on keeping these two spaces beautifully clean and tidy. Buyers may favour properties which have ready-to-move-in-to kitchen and bathrooms.
Top Tips:
- These two rooms are more susceptible to mould and mildew due to increased moisture levels.
- Make sure these rooms are mould-free.
- Keep the sides decluttered
- Store toiletries and utensils in cupboards (if possible)
- Keep the toilet seat down.
Step Four: Increase Natural Light
Darker rooms typically look smaller than lighter ones. Try to increase the amount of natural light that can enter your property.
Top tips:
- There is no need to do any structural work to your property to get it market ready. You want to spend as little as possible.
- Open blinds fully or push back curtains to allow the maximum of natural light.
Step Five: Increase Kerb Appeal
The first thing a potential buyer will see is the front garden and property façade. Remember you have 8 minutes to wow the buyer, so give them something to smile about.
Top tips:
- Make sure you weed the garden
- Remove dead plants
- Trim any bushes/trees
- Mow the lawn
- Clean your front door/windows
- Brush the drive/pathway
- Remove any waste or bins
Step Six: Focus On The First Room You Walk Into
Remember you have 8 minutes to wow potential buyers. The first room buyers will come into is so important. It sets the tone for the rest of the property. It doesn’t matter what this room is, whether it’s a porch, hallway or living room space.
Top tips:
- Make sure shoes are tidied away
- Touch-ups with paint
- De-clutter any coats
Step Seven: Fix Anything That’s Broken
It’s time to finish those half-completed DIY jobs or catch-up on routine maintenance. Potential buyers can favour well-looked after homes. Plus buyers are more likely to under-offer if they discover a potential issue with the house. In other words, don’t give them an excuse to barter!
Top tips:
- Repair roof leaks, rusted guttering, broken windows or appliances.
- Review your plumping, gas and electrics.
- Don’t overspend but make sure they aren’t in such bad repair that will be flagged up on a valuation or survey.
Step Eight: De-Personalise Your Home
It’s important potential buyers are able to picture themselves living in the house. That can be hard to do when it screams that someone else is living there. If you’re serious about selling (and quickly) then neutralise and de-personalise your home.
Top tips:
- Hide away personal photos or collectible items.
- Keep paint colours fairly neutral to avoid differences in personal taste from affecting the sale.
Step Nine: Eliminate Bad Odours
A bad odour is a big turn-off! 63% of potential buyers said that a bad odour is the biggest no-no when viewing potential properties. This could be the most important step when getting your home ready to sell.
Top tips:
- Avoid cooking particularly smelly meals before a viewing
- Take out bins
- Avoid smoking indoors
- Limit pets on soft furnishings
- Add reed diffusers, room plugins or candles. Scents such as vanilla, citrus, florals or cinnamon are common favourites.
Step Ten: Add Welcoming/Homely Touches
Making your home feel inviting and cosy will make potential buyers feel more at home. Don’t overspend adding homely touches but it may be worth it if it secures a quick sale.
Top tips:
- Fill any empty vases
- Restock your fruit bowl
- Fluff up your cushions
- Bake some cookies!
3 Things To Avoid Doing
- Avoid starting large renovations if you plan to move in a few months. It’s unlikely you will have large projects finished.
- Think carefully before replacing your kitchen or bathrooms. It is not a guarantee you will make your money back and buyers may prefer putting their own stamp on fixtures.
- Don’t spend money replacing carpets unless they’re deeply unattractive or in total disrepair
FINAL THOUGHTS..
Securing a sale, particularly a quick sale, means meeting buyers expectations and out-competing similar properties. Take a peek at what similar priced properties are offering and go from there. Make sure your property stands out, but don’t let it cost you a lot of money. Moving house is expensive and you don’t want to throw money away on projects that aren’t worth it. This post is actually very topical for me, as my husband and I are mid-house sale. Thankfully we secured a sale within one week of being on the market! I can vouch for these ten steps on how to get your home ready to sell. I look forward to updating you more on property this year, if all goes well then prepare for more moving and home improvement content.
Good luck with your house sale and house hunting!
