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Spring has definitely sprung, so let’s get your house ready for the market
Introducing the 3 C’s - Clutter, Clean, Colour.
This is when buyers start looking for a new home, and yours has to catch their attention use a critical eye be honest as house your selling no longer your home,
Start by looking on the internet at houses in your immediate area. As you look through ask yourself – how are these properties presented?
What do you like about each room? And finally,
What is the price for a property similar in size and location to yours?
We all have to live in our homes, which means daily life creates clutter, mess, scuffing and wear that we don’t notice. Until, that is, we look at our home through the eyes of a potential buyer.
I apologise if you feel I’m teaching my grandmother how to suck eggs with what I’m about to say, but you’d be astonished how many sellers completely forget about these fundamentals.
Here goes.
Clutter
The first step is serious decluttering of each room, and I mean REALLY declutter. Take out everything that makes the room look small. For example, that large sofa that takes up so much space it literally halves the rooms floor space. I know it’s comfy and fits the entire family and the dog, but seriously!
Remove all family photos, the kids first pottery and woodworking projects, and most of the ornaments. Only have a few chosen pictures on the walls that tie in with the décor.
Once you have seriously downsized the contents, take a critical look at the condition of the walls, carpet/flooring, curtains and furnishings.
Kids rooms – are the bane of all our lives, but for this exercise your children have to become part of ‘Team List It’. It’s a good excuse to get rid of all those old toys they haven’t played with for years. Charity shops are always keen to have these items. Maybe create a competition where the best presented bedroom gets a prize.
Avoid embarrassing avalanches by not stuffing wardrobes and cupboards full to bursting point. Believe me, potential buyers always open cupboards. Action - Get it put away invest in storage solution.
Odor d’ dog
There’s nothing worse than the smell of a wet dog, it may be nectar to you, but it will definitely put potential buyers off if they are confronted with it as soon as they walk in the door.
I know it’s a fulltime job keeping a dog clean, so maybe ask a friend or family member to have them while you show your home to potential buyers.
As much as I love cats, they can also put a spanner in the works, as I know all too well!
They love to curl up on the well-presented bed, sofa or chair, only to get up just before visitors arrive to leave a nice fury calling card!
Remember "1st impression count get them right!"
There’s nothing worse than the smell of a wet dog, it may be nectar to you, but it will definitely put potential buyers off if they are confronted with it as soon as they walk in the door. I know it’s a fulltime job keeping a dog clean, so maybe ask a friend or family member to have them while you show your home to potential buyers.
As much as I love cats, they can also put a spanner in the works, as I know all too well! They love to curl up on the well-presented bed, sofa or chair, only to get up just before visitors arrive to leave a nice fury calling card!
Clean
Once the life-clutter has been removed, everywhere will be easier to clean. The carpet may only need a carpet cleaner to bring it back to life. The walls may need a coat of paint and the curtains cleaned. Remove any loose covers from the sofa and chairs and put on a wool wash cycle to freshen up. The arms and backs can be cleaned with a number of products on the market.
Clean your windows, if they are too high to manage book a window cleaning company to do the job for you.
Make sure everything sparkles and shines throughout the house, especially in the kitchen and bathrooms.
Which reminds me, decluttering your kitchen can be the biggest challenge. Put all those gadgets that normally litter the work surfaces away.
Deep clean everything. Box up excess crockery, pans and glasses to get them out of the way, because a buyer will see a full cupboard and immediately feel there’s not enough storage.
Colour
Now, let’s look at the colours in your home. Remember dark colours make a room look smaller and that colour is very personal. For example - you may love bright orange but it can turn most people off. Read my previous blog The Science of Colour that explains the effect of colour on our mood and wellbeing.
Just to demonstrate. Here is a predominately pink bedroom, the owners loved it, and it does look pretty. However, when we changed the pink for a grey the room suddenly became more relatable to wider group of potential buyers. After our staging expertise this house sold in just one week for the asking price. Sorry I just had to boast it bit there.
Strange as it may sound, a high percentage of buyers simply can’t see past décor. Most buyers desire a house they move right into and don’t have to do any work. Not everyone is good at or even wants to wield a paint brush or hang wallpaper. Of course, if more people were able to do this we would be out of a job!
Good luck and hope your work pays off and you sell quickly id not and if struggling please get in touch for a chat
Anne x
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Sassy Property Styling offers Award Winning Property Styling services for residential and commercial work, including show homes & home staging.