Mumsnet guide to presenting a house to sell?

[Ladyritacircumference]

Hi, is there a thread/s anywhere about tips on how to best present a house to sell? I am getting my house ready to advertise. I don’t have much money, so looking for simple ways to present it well. I can get new paint throughout and new floor coverings etc. Looking for ideas on how to ‘dress’ the rooms. 3 bedroom mid century semi. I am cringing at the thought of having to pack everything up. Normally my house looks like a jumble sale exploded!

Honestly declutter is the best thing you can do. Make it so the buyer can see the potential, the layout clearly. Unless your flooring is really terrible I wouldn't bother doing that same with the paint work.

Declutter
Clean it until it shines
Clean the windows inside & out so there is the maximum amount of light
Tidy up outside too.- prune shrubs, cut grass, weed beds and tidy pots.

Dressing is secondary. You are selling the house's potential.

get a professional photographer for the fotos.

get a floor plan.

Declutter and make sure it is impeccably cleaned throughout is the most important thing. No pet/cooking odours etc.

I’m going to sort out obvious DIY jobs, declutter and clean. Then I will get my blunt and candid friend here for a “viewing”. As well as being a truthful person, this friend is a member of my target market - it’s a family home near a good school and she has a partner and small kids. In the absence of such a friend, post some pics on here.

I sometimes see conflicting advice on here about “staging” various rooms for sale. Many posters say they can see past poorly furnished/undressed rooms and it never puts them off. Others say it’s important. 🤷‍♂️

I will say that I suspect strong Zoflora and Fabreeeze smells of masking something unpleasant like damp. I wouldn’t use strongly scented stuff, therefore.

Presenting at a competitive price is the most important thing in the current market. Anything else is just extra fluff really. Get that bit right and you should sell no problem, get it wrong and you will just languish on the market regardless of how flashy your photos are and how tidy the house is :/

I've never sold, but as a buyer and someone in your target market:

Declutter, and emphasise storage. When I viewed a house with small DC and yet not a single plastic toy it made me doubt the storage! Even if it's a kallax unit you'd be taking with you.

Make sure it's really really clean - that makes it look cared for.

Sort out any little things that need to be fixed - carpet that's lifting, that sort of thing. Again, makes it feel like the house has been well maintained.

Make sure the listing has a floorplan, and that it spells out things like closeness to school, lovely family home, all that stuff.

Personally I wouldn't bother spending a lot of time or money on flooring or paint.

Unbelievably clean, neutral, decluttered, tidy. But if colour out the front in pots etc.

Things like making sure the beds are immaculately made. Judy a general feeling that the person who lives there cares. No evidence of pets. Nothing to suggest it's 'too small' like things piled on top of wardrobes, dining tables pushed against walls etc.