Let's be honest, selling a house is an awful experience. The waiting, the fear and, of course, the packing. No matter which way you spin it selling your home is just no fun.
So as time draws on and the offers come in it can be tempting to settle for an offer below market value. And it's understandable too. The fear of just NEVER selling your home. It really is scary.
Yet, for some people, getting full price isn't just important it can be vital. So just how do you get full price for your home? Well, a lot of it is luck. The right buyer, the right time and the right estate agent.
Outside of these obvious answers there are a few 'home hacks' that can make your home just a little more appealing to the average buyer. To help you get your home into tip top shape I've listed a few of the ideas below.
The Melon Rule
From precious holiday memories right through to Aunt Jessie's Christmas Presents, over the years you will no doubt make a lovely collection of personal home decorations. The thing is, if they're smaller than a Cantaloupe Melon then they make the house look cluttered to the unfamiliar eye. Start in the living room and get them packed away ASAP.
Kitchen Delight
This one may sting the bank balance, but it has to be included. Estate agents estimate a new, stylish kitchen can add up to 6% onto the value of your home. That may seem like a lot, but remember a kitchen is one of most awkward rooms to renovate and people often want something they can live with for at least the next few years.
Curb Appeal
Broken fence panels. Messy bushes. Unkempt driveways. Ok, so when it comes to viewing day you will probably get these issues sorted. And that's good - because a tidy house = a sellable house. But what about before the viewings? With the invention of apps like Rightmove and Zoopla potential buyers can hope in the car and be moments away from viewing your home. From the moment your house is up for sale to the moment you've signed contracts keep open viewing areas like the front garden clear and tidy.
The Reflection Effect
Ready for a little psychology in house selling? If you have a box room or small office that's just too small use a full length mirror to make it appear bigger than it actually is. While the jury is still out on the science behind this one, if the buyer has a tendency for vanity then one look at themselves in their potential new home will spark buyer impulses (maybe...).
Depersonalise
To you photos are the printed memories you will treasure for a life time to others, well, they're just distracting. We want buyers to feel like this house really could be theirs and an abundance of family photographs reminds them that it's not. Pack them ahead of your first viewings and let potential buyers experience your home as their own.