8 simple tips on how to prepare your property for sale
Keep cupboards and visible surfaces clean and tidy
We all need cupboards and shelves as we're getting more and more things. Even if you keep them closed when showing the flat, buyers will want to take a look at them to assess the size. So be sure to keep the cupboards clean and tidy, and try to get rid of everything that takes up space and creates a cluttered effect.
Lighting to the full
Brighten up all your rooms before potential buyers arrive - plenty of light makes even small rooms look more spacious and inviting. Pull back the curtains, wash the windows and change the bulbs to their brightest so that the light floods the darkest corners of the room. Also, hanging mirrors can help enlarge the space. There is a particular need for this in small rooms and hallways. Let buyers fall in love with your home - then they'll definitely want to buy it.
It's the little things that make a good price
If you spend a little effort and time to improve your home before the sale, it's sure to pay off. We are talking about minimal improvements that do not require you to make a significant investment, but will increase the attractiveness of the flat on the market. For example, update the wallpaper or paint the walls to freshen things up. Have curtains cleaned or get inexpensive new ones. Refurbish door handles and cabinet handles (they tend to wear out quickly and look untidy), oil door hinges and fix dripping faucets.
Put away personal items
One of your main tasks before the sale is to remove your excessive presence in the flat for sale. The more of your things in the flat, the harder it will be for a potential buyer to imagine themselves living in the flat. Remove anything that is not used by you, but is a mark of you: family photos, small knickknacks and small memorabilia. You should also consider rearranging your furniture so that it maximises the space available.
The kitchen first
When you're selling your flat, you're selling your kitchen first. It is the space that often contains the most expensive appliances and attracts the most attention. Try to make the space as spacious as possible - if the worktops are clean and empty, the kitchen will look more spacious. Paint the walls for a better impression, especially if they are an unusual colour. Choose neutral, calm tones so it will be easier for a potential buyer to see how they can change the interior to suit them. If you don't want to make the big investment, then you can limit yourself to buying any good looking stainless steel appliances. How can this help you? Subconsciously, when they see a quality appliance in steel colours, they start to think that the whole kitchen set-up is high quality too.
And they think the whole kitchen set-up is high quality too, and expensive.
Always be prepared to show off
If you are still living in the flat you are planning to sell, you need to be especially careful. You never know when a buyer will show up on your doorstep, so you should be ready to show it off at any time. Don't leave dirty dishes in the sink, remove unnecessary items in a timely manner and damp-clean as often as possible to keep your selling property looking as fresh and attractive as possible to potential buyers. It may be difficult to keep things tidy every minute at first, but it's another important step towards a successful sale.
Take care of pleasant smells
Unpleasant smells are often the reason why buyers may refuse to buy your flat. Don't try to mask the smell, get rid of it! Clean the drains in the bathroom and kitchen, wash the bins, open the windows wide to let in some fresh air, wash and dry-clean the sheets and the curtains (they tend to collect a lot of dust). If you're a smoker, then pour vinegar into small, open containers, place them around your house and leave them there for a day or two. Then vigorously ventilate - the smell of cigarettes will go away with the vinegar. Get rid of unpleasant smells and make sure that a potential buyer wants to stay in your flat as long as possible. Naturally, it wouldn't be practical to bake a cake or biscuit in an effort to spread a pleasant smell around the house. The easiest way to do this is to brew a cup of coffee. Most people associate the aroma of coffee with hospitality.
Contact the best the best real estate professionals
If you want to sell your home as quickly and efficiently as possible, then the easiest way to do so is by choosing the right real estate professional. An experienced agent constantly monitors trends in the market, knows current prices and changes, and has access to databases with other properties to assess supply and demand. Choose an agent who is familiar with various sales techniques and who is friendly with internet real estate marketing - so you will be sure to use all possible options to promote your flat!
