Property for Sale? Here are 5 Last-Minute Hacks to Add Value
Selling your home is tough. Viewings, estate agents, buyer chains can all feel like huge hurdles to overcome. Yet research shows us that it’s often the little touches that win a buyer over. Whether a light clean or a quick repair, the good news is that you can do many of them yourself - at the last minute, if need be. Here are five hacks that could help you clinch that deal. Make it love at first sight First impressions are everything. When a buyer pulls up at your property, what they see from the kerb will have a big effect on their decision — so give the house an external sheen by carrying out a few last-minute touches, or maybe opt for external cleaning services if there’s too much for you to take on.
If you want to do the work yourself then consider the following. Dirty windows and doors are a big turn-off: use a part-water, part-vinegar solution to make the windows sparkle. Give the door a quick re-paint. Bring the entrance to life by adding a pot plant or two — anything to give the buyer that positive first buzz. Bonus tip: make sure your door number is visible and shining: a twominute task, but it’ll be right in the viewer’s eyeline as they walk up to the door.
Lighten up You’ll be getting more light into the house with those sparkling windows, so make the most of it. Open all curtains and blinds, as well as interior doors — not only does it cheer a room up, but it also makes it look more spacious. For any areas that struggle with natural light, add a table lamp or spotlight before viewings. In the UK, we need all the light we can get, so a bright, airy house will score highly on a buyer’s list.
Follow the five-minute rule It’s no good having all that light if clutter makes the room seem smaller. While many property guides will tell you to banish all the clutter you can to the attic forever, sometimes that’s just not realistic — especially in a family home. Take a look around: which objects are taking up too much space and need time to move? If a bed or sofa needs repositioning, do that now rather than later. Then use the five-minute rule. Ensure any clutter around the house, like toys and shoes, can be cleared away within five minutes — and stick to it. Clutter isn’t just confined to indoors, either. Pipes and gutters can often get overcrowded with weeds and debris, so it’s worth spending a short while clearing them out, if you can. There are also plenty of specialists who can do this work for you. Click here for the Guttering Clearance & Repairs Ashford now!
Hit the subconscious Your house is sparkling, full of light, and spacious. What could be missing? Well, certain aromas rate highly in a buyer’s subconscious mind when they enter a property. Fresh paint from the light work you’ve just done is a good one, or maybe it’s the freshly-mown grass in the back garden. Avoid cooking smells (apart from maybe baked cookies) and stick a Glade air freshener in every other room. Positive scents linger in the memory and are likely to remind the buyer of a pleasant experience. Put yourself in their shoes Go outside, look at the house and imagine you’re the buyer. What would you change? Maybe there’s a crack in a wall to fill in, or a wonky drainpipe to fix. Move inside, do a test tour of the house and make a list of small corrections. These will be the final touches before the viewing, and will make sure your property is looking at its very best.