What are your top tips for selling a home? - £300 voucher to be won

[EmmaMumsnet]

NOW CLOSED

If you’ve sold your home before, or nosed around someone else’s, you’ll know that first impressions count. There’s a load of advice out there on how to get your house market-ready but Purplebricks wants to hear from you with your top tips for selling and what you look for when you view houses.

If you have children...how do you hide store all the toys?! What about redecorating? Is there a go-to paint colour? Maybe you do small things like having fresh bedding and flowers for house viewings? Or do you clean clean clean and clean again?

Here’s what Purplebricks has to say: “MNers, let’s talk kerb appeal. What gets you going or just gets your goat when you’re looking round a potential new property? Have you got any advice you could share on how to present your property for maximum impact? Share it with us.”

So, whatever your tips are for selling, share them on the thread below and everyone who comments will be entered into a prize draw where one MNer will win a £300 voucher of their choice (from a list).

Thanks and good luck
MNHQ

Standard Insight T&Cs Apply

[TellMeItsNotTrue]

Remove personal items (family photos etc) so that they can see themselves living there, rather than the house screaming your family

[PippaPenny]

Agree about declutter and clean, however my tips would be research and listen - to find out as much as possible about the viewer.

The couple I sold to were young and newly married as well as new to the area. I tailored the viewing to them, pointing out the positives of the house ( the jobs completed that they wouldn't need to worry about; the space to grow into), area (friendly local pub, walkable nursery and school). I suggested a 'life style' (we love sitting in the garden after work)

Similarly I have been amazed at sellers when I've tried to buy. LISTEN to your prospective buyer and feed off them.

I looked around a house, telling the buyer I had four children, only to find him, during the viewing, telling me that his family of three needed to move because they had outgrown the house ....the dining kitchen didn't really seat three children comfortably! Yep, you've guessed - didn't buy that one!

[IrmaFayLear]

Agree, PippaPenny. We went to view one house where the vendor told us they were moving to be in a better school catchment . As ds was only two it hadn't occurred to us to be concerned about this so luckily the idiot tipped us off and we ran out of the door.

When we sold our last property I went to Carpetland and ordered the absolute cheapest neutral-coloured carpet they had and had it fitted everywhere. All the viewers were oohing and aahing over the nice new carpet. And it is essential to remove everyone possible from the house.

[Byrdie]

Pack away as much as you can, get a cleaning company to do a really good clean and then step away... do not be in when there are viewings and make sure you have either airfresheners or a nice smell in you house. Fresh linen helps, or bake something / brew some coffee etc. Classic tips but they work!

[purplepandas]

Declutter madly and neutral colours. Clean and tidy surfaces. Nice smelling entering the home.

[Lalala2018]

Freshly cut flowers or nice baking/candle smells. Even if you just bung a part baked baguette in the oven..job done.

[PiperPublickOccurrences]

The "baking bread and freshly brewed coffee" smells would put me off to be honest - such a cliche and I'd be wondering if they're trying to hide a damp smell or something.

Totally depends on the market - if you are living in an area where property is moving quickly you can get away with not painting everything and hiring storage for your clutter, but you often have to work a bit harder.

Agree with tidying up as much as you can, getting rid of clutter, tidying the front garden and making your garden look as good as possible for a good first impression. If you do have to paint, something like white/cream/beige/grey which is very neutral.

[snowballupahill]

De clutter. I rented a van for my showings. I tried to sell in one weekend and was successful. Throw kids toys, ironing baskets, spare chairs, anything that you use that does not have a home in the van. Make sure the house is pristine ahead of time having de cluttered and cleaned. I put flowers in most of the rooms and made sure the windows had been cleaned inside and out. Another top tip is to make sure that nothing is blocking the windows and that curtains are pulled back. Additionally check that everything a potential buyer is likely to touch in the first five minutes is clean and works or is fixed; for example door bell door knocker internal door handles. I also had touched up the paint work using tester pots from kids marks on the wall. Gardens can be tricky a quick mow and tidy up make a difference. I also made sure that we (the family) had a different ‘home base’ during that day so we weren’t tempted to go back home for anything; be it a friend’s house or a local cafe or even your parent-in/laws.

[Belindabauer]

Don't over price your house. Buyers will check on line to see what houses in your street sell for, I would not pay more for the same house.
Kerb appeal. Sort your garden out. Mow the lawn. Remove all weeds, ensure there are flowers or evergreens in bloom. Throw away any crap, I would be put off seeing anything other than flowers, plants etc or proper garden furniture outside. Repair fences and gates. A stiff gate I can't open, instant negative which is offputting.
Park on your drive if you have one. I would not buy a house without decent parking. I also check out whether the street is cluttered with cars as this annoys me.
Inside the house declutter. Give to charity all outgrown clothes and toys. Then declutter again.
Make sure your home is aired and warm if it's winter. Cold homes are not appealing.

[PicnicPie]

Understand that any money you spend is an investment on your return. So recarpet of you need to, spend a little on the gardens. The front should be inviting. Have a few plant pots by the front door. Sweep away any cob webs. Make sure Windows are open a little for fresh air. Make sure house smells nice but not over powering.

[ShotsFired]

Also, MAKE BEDS PROPERLY.

I don't mean you need to go all out with eleventy-hundred throw pillows like a fancy hotel. Just make sure the bed linen is neatly spread/tucked in/folded as appropriate.

Just consider the difference between a ratty duvet thrown over crumpled pillows, versus crisp white sheets and oxford pillowcases.

[OnlyToWin]

Tidy, clean, tidy, clean then tidy and clean some more!!

[Ragwort]

Whoever suggested having kittens on display that would put me right off. Also in photos I am amazed when people leave their pet bowls on display. And take your pets out if people want to view your home.
Nothing more to add to 'clean and de-clutter'. Our present home was immaculate when we viewed, not a single piece of clutter, completely bare kitchen counters, one stragically placed candle in the living room, it was almost sterile in appearance, but it sold me a wonderful, calm,clutter free lifestyle ( didn't last long of course after we moved in ). I am now 'acquaintances' with the previous owner and she really does have a completely clutter free lifestyle.

[NotWeavingButDarning]

Clean and tidy are vital. Made beds are so important and clean kitchen. Bathrooms have to be spotless.

Books help :)

Open all curtains and turn on lights if necessary to make it seem bright.

[Nocado]

Look at everything as though the fussiest person you know is visiting and your life depends on them approving! Then get fixing, cleaning and replacing. This does not apply to costly things eg new bathroom or kitchen if you price accordingly.

To give a spacious and organised feel clear all surfaces apart from a very few attractive items. The more clear floor is visible the bigger the room appears.

[PashleyB]

Be realistic on price. Better to be the best thing on at the price bracket you are in on and sell rather than hang on and on and on.

[newhousenewstart]

I've sold my last two houses to the first person to view. It's very simple. Walk towards your house as a potential buyer would. Sweep the pathway and tidy the front garden. Wash down the front door. Everything inside needs to be free from clutter but also appealing to the 'family' buyer so, No you don't need to get rid of photos. However the buyer needs to be able to imagine putting his own 'stamp' on the property. It needs to be clean but lived in as well. Coffee brewing doesn't hurt. No artificial smells, forget Zoflora! it helps if a house doesn't have carpet. Let the buyers look around alone. if a country home a dog around is a positive. The buyer needs to be guided into imagining himself in the same scenario

[UpOnDown]

Declutter and magnolia paint.

[Chocolatecake12]

Sell the dream! People are coming to look at your home and want to imagine themselves living there. So if you have a junk room that’s a bedroom on the spec turn it back into a bedroom.
Make each room as clutter free as possible while still making it look like a home. Clean up surfaces and use nice smelling cleaning products. Always keep the toilet seat down!!
If you have very patterned wallpaper or brightly coloured walls that you love remember that it may not be to everyone’s taste, paint over them in a neutral colour.
Remember pots and hanging baskets if it’s summer time and deadhead the old ones. Give the front door a clean and get a window cleaner to clean windows before viewings.

[qate]

From the perspective of a buyer, key things for us at the outset were good pictures and a floor plan - if an ad didn't have a floor plan, then we rarely gave it a second look. Agents also made a big difference - we started to avoid properties marketed by certain agents as they were so rude.

If you are a seller, make sure the agent showing your home actually knows the house and the area - we did one viewing where the viewing agent had been parachuted in and struggled to show us around the house, let alone answer questions about schools/location/travel etc. We preferred owners doing the viewing as it was easier to get a feel for the house and living in the area. It didn't have to be sanitised with everything put away, just decluttered.

[maclinks]

Really go through your rooms and tidy, if you want to keep it, but won't want it in the next 3 months including most photos and ornaments . box it. send the rest of the stuff to charity. Just keep a few decorative key pieces Then send these prepared boxes off, to temp storage, after all you are going to have to pack them at some time. Have a real good clean, and remove personal; items such as family photos which actual can put people off. You need to create the illusion of space clutter does not help.

[IrmaFayLear]

If you have a manky bathroom/kitchen should you replace? Is it worth laying out tens of thousands when probably people replace them anyway unless they're very new and high spec.

[Batteriesallgone]

Generic tips like this are a bit pointless really because you need to KNOW YOUR AUDIENCE.

I think the kittens lady was rural - definitely in a rural home I would think people are likely to be animal lovers. Hanging up a nice dog lead and having a nice new dog toy tucked next to clean food and water bowls could be a real plus as animal lovers want to be able to envisage their animals in the house too.

However, suburban living within a good school catchment it’s all about aspiration, clean living, a few wooden toys artfully arranged (Grimms rainbow and some Ostheimer would be my preference) along with a colourful book on phonics ‘carelessly’ lying on the dining table. Keep one space ‘adult’ and completely free of toys, preferably living room. People who don’t have kids yet don’t want to think they won’t get evenings together without toys strewn everywhere. Cats possible, no evidence of dogs. May be selling to pregnant people and animals can cause strong opinions.

Contrast that again with city centre apartment where you want mostly white with one ‘dramatic’ room, preferably the second or third room entered. White living / kitchen and dramatic (navy blue is so hot right now) bathroom would be my preference. Your kitchen and eating area needs to look like you are just about to lay the table - centrepiece or flowers in place good, but no actual cutlery laid out (weird, viewers feel like they are intruding). The whole flat needs a colour scheme - if you were to do a navy blue bathroom, you’d want blue cushions on the sofa, white bedding with a blue blanket folded on the bottom of the bed. Having a consistent colour scheme makes it feel like one space and therefore bigger.

Decluttering can be useful but I agree with the pp don’t ram cupboards totally full. It’s so off putting to open a door and find half their life rammed in a cupboard it screams too-small-house. Whereas a stack of big cardboard boxes (ooo we’ve already started packing, tinkly laugh) against one wall in a big room is easier to mentally remove from the picture, can actually make a room look bigger if you arrange them right and could well be more storage than that rammed cupboard. Cupboards need to be half empty so people can imagine their stuff in them.