General tips for improving a house's saleability (or even value)

YoungBlueEyes

If it was me I'd do the heating + insulation things now too. 18 months is a long time and you may not end up selling after all, so why not get the benefit of it yourself? Leaving it 'til nearer the time will only make it a dearer job for the same thing. Probably. 

When you come to sell, I'd fix all the little jobs (dripping tap, blown window, paint out that stain etc), declutter like you being paid for every thing you get rid of, clean the whole place to within an inch of it's life, make sure every room shows it's purpose, then get it on the market. Start watching the market and sold prices in your area so you can price yours well. Similarly start watching the houses where you want to move to so you can see what's a good price and who's a greedy beggar whos put the price of their brand new kitchen on the asking price etc. 

Albermarle

Try to enhance its kerb appeal. If people come to have a quick look, they may just drive on if it looks tatty.
This should be able to be done at little cost. Tidy up the garden/ clean the driveway. A couple of planters/hanging baskets. Paint any peeling windows or doors. New door number etc

LHW99

Maybe ensure all the lights have low energy bulbs. Doesn't cost much, but the EPC people seem to notice.

horsewithnoname

Tidy up. Declutter. Clean and clean again. Get an honest friend to come round and point out any bits and bobs that need doing and can be done fairly cheaply - like sorting out a dripping tap, replacing manky sealant, that sort of thing. 

If you have pets/smoke see if others notice a smell that you don’t. 

KittenChops

Albermarle said:

Try to enhance its kerb appeal. If people come to have a quick look, they may just drive on if it looks tatty.
This should be able to be done at little cost. Tidy up the garden/ clean the driveway. A couple of planters/hanging baskets. Paint any peeling windows or doors. New door number etc

I would do this asap - for every house we looked at online, one of the first things I did was check it out on google streetview

twopenny

Agree with the decoration and clean.
When looking around I was put off by dirt and general lack of care. If it looks unloved it indicates that there are a lot of things more important left undone.
Everything that put me off was easily and cheaply fixable. Mainly dirty carpets and wall painting.

Lovely properties where they had installed new stuff like bathrooms that were so much not to my taste but adding to the cost were a waste.
Anyone can easily change trvs or hive to their needs. You don't need that.

It needs to be sufficient for people to move in and live awhile as they decide what they want.
So clean is the biggest plus, make the most of the size of the room s. Make the front look welcoming and the entrance hall. That is the first that will be seen.
If you have a nice back garden, have a seating area keep that tidy.
Cater to whoever your customer is. Family? Young couples? Retirees.

Albermarle

KittenChops said:

Albermarle said:

Try to enhance its kerb appeal. If people come to have a quick look, they may just drive on if it looks tatty.
This should be able to be done at little cost. Tidy up the garden/ clean the driveway. A couple of planters/hanging baskets. Paint any peeling windows or doors. New door number etc

I would do this asap - for every house we looked at online, one of the first things I did was check it out on google streetview

I forgot to say - move any bins in view !

peepo321a

Clean top to bottom. Declutter as much as possible. Repair or camouflage any damage or eyesores. Fresh flowers inside and out. If the place looks cared for there will be fewer red flags for buyers. For viewings - the old trick of vanilla essence in a warm oven, keep a set of new bedding to drape over your beds to save the effort of remaking them- fold and put to one side in between visits to keep it nice. If you have pets keep them out of the way, a surprising number of people have phobias or allergies. Don’t spend any big money, you won’t get it back.

Andi5

I have sold a few properties and have found that first impressions always count, I made sure that the property had kerb appeal by tidying up the outside, driveway and paths were weed free, I made sure the doors and windows were clean, any touching up to paintwork or brickwork was done. I always added colour by placing a few pots with seasonal plants in around the garden (you could take these with you when you move). Inside the home I always decluttered by packing items away into boxes, you’re moving anyway so why not save time for when you do move. Have a good look round to see if there are any little jobs that need doing e.g. dripping taps, kitchen cupboard doors not closing. See if anywhere wants freshening up, if any walls had bold colours then I repainted them in a neutral colour. I made sure everywhere was clean and tidy especially the kitchen and bathroom. I feel that your home needs to look loved so that prospective buyers can imagine living there.

kinger101

Personally, I pay little attention to an EPC as the level of skill required to complete the course  to issue them can't amount to much more than a one day course.  The size, age and type of property give me a good idea if energy costs.