The single best (cheap/free) thing to do before home report/put on market?

[MummyOfSunbeam]

Hello! Property newbie here w question re preparing to sell. We have lived in this, our first house, for three years. Unexpectedly had a lovely DD come along (7 mths today) and wd like to move somewhere a bit different w her in mind (a safer outdoor play area, better schools etc).

We have NO money to renovate unfortunately and hardly any time to even tidy up - house is chaotic w baby things! But I know it is vital to do what you can. (We have enough for legal fees/move but that's it really, especially since I am not back from maternity leave yet. But we would like to start doing the house-preparing work now)

So - any tips on the single best cheap or free thing to do before that home report thing (we are in scotland) and putting on market?

I think we should do all we can before mat leave ends and we become rushing about working family....

Tidy up. Make time. Work through the night if you must.

It really makes the difference, its a tough market atm and you really have to sell it.

A friend of mine used to put everything in her car before viewings, worked for her!

De-clutter! Go for the most minimalistic look you can achieve!

Wow it really is tidying and decluttering that matters then. How on earth do people sell a house when have a small baby! Eek.

We will just have to whittle away bits at a time I think --

I agree with pp's. Have been looking at houses online and I can't believe how cluttered so many of them are. It's really distracting, sometimes I feel like I can't see the actual house for the clutter iykwim?

I know it's really tricky with a baby, but be thankful you don't have a toddler or worse a Lego-obsessed 6 yo

Giggle - Dewdrop so t does get harder then?? Because my next question was going to be - what age would be less house clutters for house sale, in a choice between 7 months, 18 months, and 36 months!

About ten y.o. I think because then toys come in a lot smaller like ds' etc. my two are 7 & 2 and out house is going on the market in a couple of weeks.

Get a couple estate agents round saying you are going to put on the market shortly, and ask them.
Apart from declutter and clean they will tell you about the obvious issues - in our case they said shove lots from the living room (main selling point) into the larder, and buy a throw to cover our manky sofa, and a doormat for outside the front door.

£30 well spent - the valuations 2 weeks later were about £25k more and we got over asking price in 24 hours!

Honestly, is there anyone who could look after your DD for a bit while you clean and declutter?

We have a 17 month old and whilst I cleared some cupboards and did a bit of ebaying whilst she napped most of the work was achieved one weekend while in laws stayed and took DD out and played with her.

DH did DIY jobs and I packed stuff up to go in loft to make house less cluttered.

I wouldn't worry about going back to work.... It's easier to keep the house tidy when you aren't in all day

We are in an odd situation in that we don't have any storage space, no lift, no cellar, no garage, not even a single built in cupboard (just one small freestanding wardrobe) so we haven't got anywhere to shove stuff to hide it. We may have to hire some storage offsite but I hesitate to do that since I suspect sales here are taking up to a year ATM .

We also don't have any family or anyone to care for dd so poses additional challenges. But we will attempt it!

No loft I mean. (No lift either but since are on ground floor hardly a hardship :)

Boxes for underbed storage? We are 7 months now trying to sell with 3 year old twins (one of whom has been potty training most of this time). I think unless you are prepared to wait quite a while, the sooner you can get things underway the better.

Is the paintwork in need of freshening up? Touching up or repainting in simple colours is quite cheap.

Try buying 4/5 big boxes/baskets, then you can throw all crap in, put boxes in car, & park round corner during viewings? Might help. I've heard Sarah beeny suggest buying a storage thing to keep in your garden for chucking it all, might that work?

Plastic pallet to store things in the garden now it's summer.

Inside uncluttered, immaculate, spotless, fresh flowers, nothing on surfaces. 7 months is a lot easier than when they are properly mobile and making a mess themselves. Plastic crate indoors for all the baby paraphernali - naps, bottles, etc., car boot for the bigger stuff.

Not that we did it but lots of friends have. And put the house on at a realistic price so it doesn't take a year.

I know everyone has said it but it's so important I'll say it again... tidy and clean. Viewers want to feel like they could move straight into a house and nothing puts them off like mess and dirt. Even a house that needs work is improved by being clean.

if the agent is going to take photos make sure you follow them round and
-sweep everything on kitchen worktops into a cupboard
-get rid of limp teatowels hanging on cooker
-ditto non matching towels in bathroom
-move your best bits and pieces into shot and heap everything else out of shot
-smooth beds down
-take washing off radiators
-in outside shots make sure the bins are out of shot
-buy a planter for outside the front door?

dont assume yr agent will do these things-many of them are utterly hopeless at photos. I had to stop one and suggest he might move his own car out of shot when he was photographing the front of the house. You are paying so get yr moneys worth