Maximising the value of your house before selling

diy

 

Selling your house need not be fraught with difficulties, provided you take the time to show it off to prospective buyers in its best possible light. It doesn’t have to cost a fortune, unless there are serious structural issues that need to be dealt with, but a few simple steps is all that it takes to maximise the value of your house before you sell.

In the UK, house prices have continued to rise despite economic uncertainty, especially in relation to withdrawal from the European Union. In the year to November 2016, according to the Office for National Statistics, average house prices in England increased by 7.2%, those in Wales by 4.1% and in Scotland by 3.3%. Investing in a property is still a good deal, and with interest rates low, there are plenty of buyers in the market looking for their dream property.

So what should you do to get the best value you can for your house? Here are some ideas.

Enhance your kerb appeal

First impressions are extremely important when selling your house, and it starts with the exterior. Many buyers like to drive past a property before setting up a viewing, partly to get a feel for the area but mainly to see if the house has an attractive look to it.

It’s not difficult or expensive to make the outside of your house look good. If you have a drive, make sure it is clean and without weeds. Gates should also be clean and where necessary, repainted. Flowerbeds should be weeded too, and depending on the season, have a colourful display of flowers and shrubs. Fallen leaves from trees, whether from your garden or blown in from elsewhere, need to be cleared up.

Check window frames and give them a coat of paint if they need it, and get some new door furniture, such as a knocker, number or house name, and letterbox. A coat of paint or varnish for wooden doors works wonders, and if it’s PVC, make it as clean and shiny as you can. Clean your windows as well, to add that extra shine to your house’s exterior.

Look to your window coverings

Good natural light is one of the most important attributes in rooms, and so is the ability to control it. Curtains can certainly help make a room look attractive but in terms of light, they are limited in that they are basically either open or closed. A good way to add value to your home and easily control how much or how little natural light is admitted, is to install DIY window shutters. They can be made to fit all shapes and sizes of window, are made in different types of wood and come in a range of colours. They give rooms a sleek, stylish look and if you have manoeuvrable louvres, you can adjust the amount of light coming in. Shutters also add an extra layer of insulation – a bonus when the weather turns cold.

Declutter

Prospective buyers like to get a feel of the spaces they might be living in, and if your rooms are filled with objects and ornaments, you can inadvertently give the impression that the spaces are smaller than they are. Remove as much clutter as you can to create a much more spacious feel to your rooms, and make sure that any carpets or rugs have been vacuumed and that wooden floors have been swept and washed.

Clear the kitchen

If you were buying a house, you wouldn’t expect to find dirty dishes stacked up in the kitchen, so make sure everything has been washed and put back into cupboards. Surfaces should be cleaned down and your cooker, both hob and oven, should be given a good degreasing well before anyone arrives to inspect the property. Dust and clean extractor fans, and if the walls look a little dowdy, give them a lick of paint to brighten them up.

Brush up the bathroom

Wash down the bath, shower cubicle, sink and toilet so they are sparkling. If grouting between tiles is dirty, either clean it or put in new grouting. It’s the same with dirty sealant – if you can’t clean it well, replace it.


Looking good for a sale

Take the time, do some serious work and you can show your house off at its best, with the opportunity to maximise its value. The money you spend on doing this is more than likely to be recouped with interest, so plan everything and then just do it.

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