This time of year is full of opportunity. Never-ending January is finally over, pay day has once again returned, and you can really start to dig in with what the year will hold for you. Maybe it will be love, maybe it will be a new start in a new home or workplace – perhaps it will be all three.
As the shorter days head behind us and we get those first glimpses of spring, people become more optimistic and more open to making big decisions, so it’s a good time to put your property on the market.
Once you’ve made up your mind that you’ll be leaving your property, it’s more than likely that you’d like to get the whole process over with as quickly as possible. While there’s not much you can do to speed up the paperwork, surveyors and solicitors, you can boost your property’s sale appeal and how much people will be willing to spend on it, by giving it a little TLC.
The first question is, how do you entice people to look your property’s way? What will make it most attractive to people driving by? It’s time for a spruce up, starting with the windows, window sills and gutters. It not only shows that you care how your property looks, it gives the impression that it’s been looked after well. As most viewings happen during the day, the more natural light you can let in, the better, so once you have enticed people to come and have a look, those clean windows will really help you to make sure you’re making the best first impression.
Size counts when it comes to rooms and the best way to show them off? De-clutter your space. If you have any furniture that isn’t essential, it would be a good idea to put it into storage for a little while – even better if you have a family member or a friend with a little cheap loft space. Soft furnishings can create a good impression and make it easier for people to envision being in your property themselves. It could even be worth hiring in larger pieces of furniture to stage your property in the right way for sale. It may seem like a lot of outlay initially, but it’s likely to pay off and be worth it when it comes to offer time.
Once you’ve got past the looks, what are your other senses telling you about your home? Does it feel clean? Does it smell nice? Believe it or not, a great way to increase the impression of both is simply by buying your property some flowers. Obviously do make sure that the whole place has had a good deep clean, as you never know what other people are going to be drawn to, focus on, or remember, but little touches like flowers – after a deep clean – can also go a long way.
When you’ve done all this, of course, you may look at your property in a whole different light and fall in love with it all over again!
If you are ready to make a big leap and move somewhere new, we’d love to help, so please get in touch.