Bedford Estate Agents | Selling Tips

There are lots of things you can do to make sure your house sells for the best possible price. Always remember your house is competing against other properties in the local area. Follow our essential tips and you are bound to impress buyers and kick off with a flying start.

 

1. Kerb appeal – 1st impressions count

Don’t focus all your efforts on the inside; remember that first impressions are created as prospective buyers approach the building.

 

  • Tidy the garden, make it looks well-kept and above all, cut the lawn
  • Remove any litter outside the property you are selling and clear the path to your door
  • Trim hedges, repair fences and remove any dead pot plants
  • Keep the front door clean and in good condition

 

2. Clean your house from top to bottom, inside and out

  • Clean, then clean again. Make sure everywhere is spotless
  • Consider deep cleaning or replacement of carpets and curtains, it’s well worth the money
  • De-clutter and your house will look bigger. It will feel to buyers like a tidy, well-ordered place to live – Just what they want!
  • Eliminate bad odours such as cooking smell, smoking, damp
  • Don’t stuff everything into cupboards and move out spare furniture from the bedroom
  • Keep it clean and tidy until sold

 

Before and After

 

3. De-clutter

Get rid of the clutter and your house will look bigger. It will feel to buyers like a tidy, well-ordered place to live – Just what they want!

 

  • Don’t stuff everything into cupboards
  • Move out spare furniture from the bedroom

 

4. Create an appealing social environment

It’s not always about de-cluttering; sometimes the opposite is required, installing new furniture to give prospective buyers an impression of how they would live in the property.

 

5. Define the use of each room with character

Make sure each room is kitted out for the purpose it is intended for – so bedrooms should look like bedrooms and not store rooms.

 

6. Do basic repairs

Go through each room and do any minor jobs you can see that would improve the finish at little expense, such as touching up paintwork, filling cracks etc...

 

  • Reseal around the bath, sinks and shower and remove any mould
  • Fix dripping taps, cracked panes of glass and peeling wallpaper

 

7. Redecorate but depersonalise

Bright, neutral, clean and uncluttered properties are most appealing to the broadest range of prospective buyers.

 

  • Don’t redecorate one room splendidly and leave the rest looking tired
  • If the property is being sold for development or as a shell, there is no need in tidying or painting
  • Don’t overdo it Too colourful is bad – but so is too bland

 

8. Don’t over spend!

Every property has a ‘ceiling’ price according to its location, size and age. So spending £20,000 on a kitchen does not necessarily mean your property value will immediately increase by £20,000.

For any additional help or advice get in touch with one of our agents who would be happy to advise you further.

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