Be ready for the Spring Property Boom
Spring is here and that means one thing – the property market begins to boom again! (although to be fair, we haven’t noticed much of a lull…) But it is that time when traditionally people think about putting their house on the market with a view to getting those all important sunshine pictures of house and garden for the estate agent’s website, along with daydreaming about the home they might be in for the summer. Getting the house ready to go on the market can be a tricky thing, however. If we’re being honest, most of us don’t keep a house that would be ready for viewing at a moment’s notice. But similarly, neither do we want to waste time when it comes to getting it on the market once you’ve made that decision. So what are the most important things to consider?
- Unless they’re terrible, there’s probably little point fitting a new kitchen or bathroom at this stage. But make sure you sell them to their best advantage – uncluttered surfaces, and above all that it’s spotlessly CLEAN! Re-grout and paint tiles if necessary or think about adding a few new accessories to brighten them up – a new nicely coloured bathmat and some towels for example. If they are terrible, however, you may want to think about making some more major changes depending on the market you’re aiming at. If it’s a ‘fixer-up’ house, leave well alone!
- De-cluttering is the main thing most of us will need to do. People always want space, and those boxes you’ve got overflowing with old toys and the piles of books taking over the spare room, may not fit with the image they have in their mind of their new home. Now is the time to clear out what you can. It’s a great head-start on the packing you’ll have to do when you move anyway! Make use of under bed storage and other ‘hidden’ space, but remember house viewers will want to look in lofts and garages, so don’t just pile everything untidily in there. You can always use external storage providers like ourselves until after the move. Remember you can keep nipping to get things back if you decide you can’t live without them in the meantime!
- If your carpets are looking a bit worse for wear consider hiring a carpet cleaner to freshen them up. Make sure rugs add something to the room, rather than adding unnecessary clutter.
- Have a proper look at your walls – is the paint work marked and mucky? Often you can become blind to it in your own home! A lick of paint can do wonders to brighten up a house. Remember external paintwork too – give it a wash and touch up any peeling areas.
- You may like your home to look as if it has come straight from the 1970s. But will everyone else? Just for now, you might need to tone down some of your own passions to make it more appealing to a wider audience. That includes any hobbies which might be taking over any of the rooms!
- Pets are great – but your new perspective house-buyer might not think so. Make sure pet beds are clean, neat and tidy and not taking up mountains of space when viewers come round. And maybe hide the cat litter tray and food bowls for half an hour!
- Make sure the garden is tidy – don’t feel you suddenly need to turn it into the botanical gardens, but keeping any grass neat and tidy and a spot of weeding will never go amiss. A nice chair and table set might help homeowners imagine themselves sat there on a summer evening with a glass of wine! Remember the front and back – it’s all about curb appeal.
- If in doubt get a good friend to come round and ask them to be honest – is there anything they think might need to change? Might be easier to hear from them than an estate agent!
- No one wants to live in a museum, but neither do you want to have to spend half a day clearing out every time someone comes round for a viewing, so it makes sense to do what you can as a permanent option until the house is sold.
If we can help with any storage requirements (or removals once it gets to it) – feel free to give us a call for a chat.
