If you’re preparing a house for sale, there are lots of ways to attract interest from buyers and ultimately, command a higher asking price.
At Chancellors, we’re experts in making a home shine when preparing it for sale, from making sure the property is clean to tackling bad smells, outdated decor, and more.
So, in this article, we’ll offer our top tips to help you prepare a house for sale, to help you boost the appeal of your home and achieve the best price possible.
1. Declutter, Clean, and Tidy Your House
It should go without saying that a well-presented home is more likely to sell than a neglected one. That’s why when preparing a house for sale, your first job should be to declutter and tidy the property. This means making sure nothing is out of place, no random objects are lying around, and that everything is at an acceptable level of tidiness, objectively speaking. Then comes the clean, which should be an absolute priority when preparing a house for sale. We’d recommend that you choose a professional cleaning service for this task, as opposed to doing it yourself. The main reason being that a professional cleaner will know how to target areas you might not, and will have experience cleaning houses in a way that boosts saleability.2. Keep Things Neutral
When it comes to preparing a house for sale, it’s important to keep things neutral with your decor and interior design. Essentially, you want to keep things minimal and tasteful, avoiding anything too expressive or colourful, even if you personally love those kinds of styles. You can add sparks of flair to your décor with your furnishings, but don’t go over the top with dramatic designs or anything overly niche, as you’ll narrow your pool of buyers to those who share the same design preferences as you. Another benefit of keeping your interior neutral is that it allows potential buyers to focus on the space itself, rather than your possessions or style decisions. This can often encourage them to put forward a more favourable offer, as they can envisage more possibilities for the interior.3. Let There Be Light
Most estate agents and professional photographers have a simple trick up their sleeves to bring a property to life: brightness. By prioritising illumination, you’ll literally put your house in the best light possible, and bright and airy spaces help emphasise the spaciousness of your property to buyers. To achieve more light, whether it’s for photographs or for viewings, make sure blinds or curtains are open so natural sunlight can stream in. For properties that are darker during the day, boost brightness by adding table and floor lamps into the rooms of your home. As a rule, lighting should always be a priority when preparing a house for sale, and making sure everything looks fresh and bright will give a great first impression to buyers. Which neatly brings us onto our next top tip for how to prepare your home for sale.4. Make a Great First Impression and Consider Kerb Appeal
You know how the old saying goes - you only get one chance at a first impression. And while it’s a bit of a cliché, it’s incredibly important when it comes to preparing a house for sale, as buyers often decide whether or not they’ll make an offer based on that first impression. But how do you make a good first impression when preparing a house for sale? Firstly, you want to think about the kerb appeal of your property, which is essentially the view of the home from the outside. This includes everything from the colour of the walls to the front door, windows, and front garden. To boost your kerb appeal, you’ll likely need to dig out the gardening gear and get tidying the outside space of your property. You’ll also want to clean the windows and front door for the ultimate warm welcome, and a paint job could be on the cards if the colour of your front door or external walls have faded. Making sure all of these are in tip top shape, with no signs of decay or aging, is crucial when you’re working out how to prepare your home for sale, and doing so can increase confidence in your property and ultimately, get a sale over the line. Take a look at our article on boosting kerb appeal for some inspiration.5. Eliminate Unpleasant Odours
Nobody wants a smelly house, and someone looking to fork out lots of money for a property will definitely be less interested if there’s a funky odour inside. So, a key task for preparing a house for sale is getting rid of any noticeable bed smells before organising viewings. Dogs, cats, hamsters, and to be honest, any pets (except maybe goldfish) will likely leave some sort of smell in your home, so it’s best to have a thorough clean to eliminate these odours when preparing a house for sale. Whether it’s having your pets cleaned by a professional groomer, or swapping out their bedding for something clean, it’s important to make sure that the only smells emanating from your home are fresh and inviting, not stale and stinky.6. Carry Out Simple Repairs
When preparing a house for sale, there are certain repairs you can, and should, take care of yourself. Bulbs that need replacing, loose door handles, broken tiles, wonky shelves, anything you can sort yourself, give it a go, and you’ll likely feel the benefit when it comes to selling your house. Of course, there are certain fixes you won’t be able to do yourself, and if your budget permits, you should hire a tradesman to handle them for you. Things like gas appliances, for example, are illegal to work on unless you’re qualified, and should only be tended to by a Gas Safe Registered engineer. Not sure about what kinds of things qualify as simple repairs? Maybe you’re overwhelmed and want to speak to an expert about preparing your home for sale. Don’t worry, we’re here to help.At Chancellors, we’re experts in preparing houses for sale and have years of experience navigating the property market, and we have lots of guidance to help you achieve the best price possible for your property.
For more information about how we can help, contact our team today.
