Preparing your Property for Sale
Presentation is Vital
The maxim 'presentation is vital' was never more true than when selling a house. It is therefore extremely important to carry out any necessary cosmetic work before you put your property on the market.
House buyers form their impressions very quickly - indeed research shows that half of all buyers make the final decision before they even get inside the front door! If such a high proportion of buyers are going to make their decision from outside then this is where you too must start.
Go and stand in the street at least 100 yards away from your property. Take a good hard look and try to see it through the eyes of someone who has never seen it before. What do you see? Have the neighbours' houses been decorated more recently than yours? If so consider redecorating at least the front elevation.
Move slowly forwards, ten yards at a time. What do you see as you move closer? Could your teenage son be persuaded to park his battered old car somewhere else for a few weeks? Are any tiles missing from the roof! Does the hedge need trimming? Is the front fence in good condition? Does the front garden need tidying?
Enter the front garden. Does the gate operate smoothly? Is the front door in good decorative condition? Are there cobwebs in the porch? Does the door bell work?
Open the front door and step inside. Take a long critical look at the entrance hall. Bear in mind that it is the first room that potential purchasers will see and consider whether any work is necessary to brighten it up. Before you leave the entrance hall think carefully about what order the rooms in the house should be shown in. It is important to ensure that buyers see the most attractive rooms first.
Go round the house in the order that purchasers will see it and check each room thoroughly. In particular look for the following:
- Does any room need redecorating?
- Are there any stains or damp patches?
- Are there any cracks?
- Do the carpets need cleaning?
- Do any light bulbs need replacing?
- Are any windows overshadowed by trees or foliage?
- Are the windows dirty?
- Is the garden tidy?
- Are the fences in good order?
