Preparing a house for sale

LizD_2

Please could you all give me tips on preparing our house to put it on the market next month.

Obviously a thorough clean is a given, including carpets, windows/sills, etc. We're going to continue the laminate into the kitchen and have some plastering done where needed. Also, we're having some furniture stored and a lot of personal items will be packed to cut down the clutter.
Other than that what can we do to make our house appeal to buyers, without spending a fortune?

kingkano

Your on the right track there. Fix problems you've put off yourself while living there (for me it was boiler, kitchen and bathroom). Storage is key. Store lots of stuff but make sure the house still looks lived in. If it looks too empty people will wonder where all your stuff is and hence where can all their stuff go!

Hit the key rooms - kitchen, living room. I was told buyers often decide in the kitchen if they like a house. Little touches can make alot of difference. A fresh bunch of flowers in a vase. SOme nice indoor plants here and there. A co-ordinated colour scheme to your decor (cushions etc).

We didnt tone down the paint yet, and so far it doesnt seem to have had a bad affect. I'll let you know in 2 weeks if we have sold if its true

Watch House Doctor loads and you start having nightmares that somebody will be scared off by 2 minute bits of dust on a windowsill lol. So relax Think of what YOU are looking at when viewing a house

oohtobeaterrier

we are selling our house we have the first viewing on sunday trying like mad to get it ready before then, i have a bedroom to decorate a back garden to sort out (its a bit of a jungle) but thankfully have tomorrow off work to get cracking. this is our first veiwing and i am so nervous

shelly

oohtobeaterrier wrote: »

i have a bedroom to decorate a back garden to sort out (its a bit of a jungle)

If the bedroom decor is tidy I wouldn't bother re-decorating. Most buyers will re-decorate asap anyway. We was going to do our hall, stairs and landing because since doing it awhile ago I have gone right off it! EA advised not to bother and it sold to the first viewers, I'd have been narked if we had spent money on it for no reason.

Also the garden, just make it look neat and tidy, don't go OTT. Our buyers have told us they are going to rip up the turf thats been laid less than a year and deck the whole lot!

shelly

LizD wrote: »

Please could you all give me tips on preparing our house to put it on the market next month.

Obviously a thorough clean is a given, including carpets, windows/sills, etc. We're going to continue the laminate into the kitchen and have some plastering done where needed. Also, we're having some furniture stored and a lot of personal items will be packed to cut down the clutter.
Other than that what can we do to make our house appeal to buyers, without spending a fortune?

Don't think you can do much more than have it generally tidy and clean. If you are going on rightmove I'd make sure the key rooms are pictured. Master bedroom, bathroom, lounge and kitchen. They are the rooms I was most interested in when we were looking to buy.
Oh, also make sure the outside of the property is clear of leaves and general debris, first impressions count!! Do this a few days before your first viewing though, our buyers came up and down our road a couple of days before they were due to get a feel for the place and check the house out.