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I’ve made little secret of the fact that I am keen to do some pretty major work to our home this year. If it was only my choice, I’d be looking to start building a large extension and converting the loft. But, Damian is a little more cautious than me and wants to get our home valued and decide whether we might move instead.
With that in mind, we are spending some time considering our options and undertaking some simple ways we can make our house desirable. I thought I’d share some of the things we are doing in preparation for our house to be valued with you here.
Get an idea of costs
Before you make any decisions about putting your home on the market, it makes sense to be aware of all the associated costs; it isn’t just the cost of the physical house! Be aware of Stamp Duty charges, removal firm charges and of course the legal fees involved. There are also sales costs involved for your existing property for the legal side and agents fees. Be aware of all these costs as they all factor into the affordability of moving home.
Make it homely
A lick of paint really does make a difference. Try to paint rooms in airy neutral colours and move away from any clutter. For us, this means taking down the children’s paintings which adorn our hallway and replacing temporarily with neutral prints. Add nice touches such as throws and cushions and candles and fresh flowers to make it feel like a cosy and welcoming home.
We need to pack up some of the books and toys to make our home space seem fresher and clearer and give prospective buyers a more neutral experience so they can plan as to how the space might work for them. Knowing what the selling point of your home is is also key. For us it’s our large marble fireplace in the front room. It was the wow factor for us when we purchased the house and we know it’s something other’s comment on. Presenting this to it’s best will help secure a sale.
Hiring a storage container for a short period can really help with clearing out personal clutter and giving your home a neutral and clean and fresh appeal for prospective purchasers.
Make your bedroom a place of rest – if you’re a regular Guardian Outfitters shopper then make sure those items are in the wardrobe – don’t cause undue alarm if your job requires protective wear!
Kerb appeal
People always talk about kerb appeal, but that’s because it is oh so important! There’s plenty of property sites online that lists homes for sale. And frankly, if they don’t look inviting from the outside they’re often discounted by prospective buyers early on.
Take time to cut back any bushes, weed out any old flowers and jet wash the pathways. If you have external paintwork make sure it’s sanded and given a coat of paint and make sure things like the doors and windows are clean. If your home has a fence make sure it is in good order or replace with iron railings if that’s the period of the house. https://glassrailings.ca/wroght-iron-railings has plenty of different styles available and for a modest cost, you can return your home to the right period and really give that wow factor.
Remember changes are temporary
It might seem a bit daunting being expected to tidy away the personal items that make your home yours but remember it’s only temporary until you move into a new home! If you’re massively into collecting vintage sewing boxes then packing them away for a short time doesn’t diminish that – if anything it creates a new buzz of excitement when you get to re-discover them. The same goes for any work type items. Finding a temporary working unit might help, especially if you have larger items such as those sold by Ohaus (click here). You need to make the property feel like someone’s forever home; not a working place.
