Selling a home can take a lot of time and commitment. Whether you’re leaving your beloved home where you’ve lived for many years, or whether you’re looking to make a profit from property investment, it is crucial that your home is presentable and ready to sell.
Your home will beat out the competition if it has the ‘wow’ factor, and potential buyers are more likely to make serious offers if the interiors are impressive and in great condition.
Here are the ways you can make your home look its best, and tips for converting potential buyers to definite buyers. After all, first impressions are everything.
Give the walls a refresh
If you’re looking to sell your home, you may be blind to its condition; the walls could, most probably, do with a fresh lick of paint to make space feel lighter and brighter. If in doubt, opt for whites, creams and neutral colors to signify to viewers that space is a clean space for them to use how they please.
Put the most attention into the kitchen
The kitchen is the hub of any home, so if there’s one room you give more attention to, it should be this one. Entice home buyers by making it clean, presentable, and putting effort into the small features, e.g. fruit bowls, utensil holders, flowers, etc., and hide anything less than inspiring (e.g. dirty tea towels).
Get a furniture fit out
The décor and furnishings of home – though it’s not what will be sold to the property buyer – can play a huge part in finalizing a sale. Some people buy all new furniture to help turn a home into a display-friendly space, but some just hire furniture: a furniture fit-out company can help take the stress out of fitting a home and will source, fit and clear the space for you.
Half-clear out the closets
When looking at houses, potential buyers take great notice of the storage space, and if your cupboards are bursting at the seams, it can be off-putting. A great trick to selling your space, and to make it look like you have more space than you do, is to half-fill your built-in closets and cupboards. This way, you’ll look like you have too much space, and that will appeal to the viewer as they will think they’ll be spoilt for space, too.
More lighting and pleasant scents
Well-lighted spaces look and feel better, so it is essential that you invest in high-quality lighting and new lamp shades to make your home feel light and bright, instead of gloomy and dingy.
The same goes for home scents – make sure living spaces, especially bathrooms, have a fresh diffuser in it.
Repair faults
To ensure your home is in the best possible condition to attract prospective buyers, it’s crucial to pay attention to the small details and finishes. Making tiny repairs and redecorating the small things will majorly transform your home, but be sure only to tackle the quick fixes – a huge overhaul may mean you don’t get your money back.
Clear away signs of pets
Prospective buyers who look around your home may love animals and have cats and dogs of their own, but that doesn’t mean you should let them know that you have a pet. When you have viewings, make arrangements for your pets to go elsewhere, and clear away food dishes and litter trays as they emit a nasty odor, and you want your home to be as inviting as possible. Of course, this doesn’t mean you have to hide your adorable framed photo of your pooch, though.
De-personalize and de-clutter space
People viewing the house want to imagine themselves living it, so too many personal touches of another family can be distracting and off-putting. Framed family photographs are a nice touch, but novelty or garish décor should be put away so that the rooms feel more spacious and are more pleasing to the eye of the prospective buyer.
Author: Ellie Wiseman
