Easy Fixes for Maximising the Value of a Property for Sale
So, your home has been sitting on the market for ages, without attracting anyone to make a bid. You’ve completed loads of expensive projects to make it look better, thanks to advice from friends “in the know”, but you haven’t seen the money come back yet and don’t know what to do. Well, the simply way to ensure that a property sells is to concentrate on the small things – the easy fixes that only take a short while, cost little and make a difference! Viewers of your home aren’t stupid – they know when a new bathroom has been installed, or when a new kitchen has been fitted. Therefore, this doesn’t impress them as much as you’d expect. What will impress them though is seeing that all the small things are done – if the small things are perfect, then surely everything else has to be, hasn’t it? Just imagine how you’d feel looking around a house. You walk into the brand new en-suite and love it, only to then see a loose electrical fitting. You’d start to think about whether the rest of the electrics are okay, and probably end up leaving with this as you over-riding thought.
So, what can be done to provide easy fixes in a property up for sale? Firstly, get rid of any wallpaper in the house – including the stuff you think is absolutely stunning. Do this especially if it is starting to peel off. People don’t inherently hate wallpaper – the will just probably hate yours, because everyone has different tastes. The, grab a tin of magnolia paint and make the room neutral. Now they can’t possibly leave thinking how bad the décor is and how much they have to spend changing it. Next, instead of getting a whole new kitchen or bathroom, simply replace the things that matter. Your sink will clean up nicely with a scrub, so just change the taps if they are starting to get a bit old and grotty. Why change the whole toilet when you can just buy a new toilet lid instead? And, whatever you do, get a new shower curtain, as old ones really don’t give the impression that the house has been looked after well! Then, go and fix any other minor things that have bothered you, such as leaking taps, missing knobs and chains that don’t flush properly. These little things show you care, and make a massive difference.
Finally, take care of the outside of the house. Think of a couple looking for a new house in Atherstone, for example. When they walk past that “For Sale” sign, will they want to go in if there is overgrown grass, dirty windows and a gate hanging off the hinges? Or would they prefer to go to the house down the road, with a pristine front garden? Cut the grass, clean the windows, paint the sills – in fact, do what you can to make the outside look lovely, as most outdoor jobs cost pennies to complete! There you have it – follow the guidelines above and you’ll have a much better chance of selling your home. People love attention to detail, so make sure that is what they get! This article was written by Jenny, an employee and professional blogger for Hamptons International. Jenny has a wealth of property knowledge, with many years of experience under her belt.