10 minute jobs to increase your home's value

Giving your home a quick clean can increase the chance of finding a buyerTime is one of those things you wish you had more of when moving house. From packing to sorting out utilities and new connections, everything can quickly feel like it’s a never-ending task. Add the pressure to make a sale and get the best price possible, and you can get very overwhelmed trying to juggle everything at once.

There are lots of things you can do to improve the value of your home before you sell, from revamping the garden to painting the front door and neutralising the colour scheme. However these can take quite a lot of time – great if you have it. But if you don’t and still want to do impress potential buyers what can you do?

Luckily some tasks take only a short amount of time yet can impress buyers as soon as they walk through the door. Think simple, functional and positive.

Here are four to get you started:

Decrease rather than increase
Many people think that adding things to your house – extensions and furniture particularly – will increase the value in a buyer’s mind. But bear in mind the buyer has to imagine themselves in your property and so wants to see the house as a blank slate. Too many family portraits and bits and bobs can stop them from doing this, so they’ll be unable to see themselves living there, and therefore won’t be interested in taking your house. Spend 10 minutes removing family photos, excess ornaments, rugs and throws and put them away in a cupboard or car when buyers come round.

Add flowers
Flowers are neutral items that everyone loves. Adding a couple of vases around the house can not only brighten up your property but also give the impression of freshness and invigoration. Plants are also great choices; they’re less imposing than flowers but still bring a little bit of the great outdoors into your property. You can pick them up pretty cheaply from any good garden centre or supermarket. Look for special offers on matching plants – they can be great ways to set off a bookcase or a side dresser.

Open windows and curtains
Dark rooms devoid of natural light and air can really turn buyers off. Open windows regularly to get rid of any stuffy air and ensure your curtains are always opened when buyers are around to provide a welcoming atmosphere. If your windows are grimy, give them a quick clean – it only takes a few minutes and can really spruce up a property, especially if you haven’t cleaned them in a while.

Clean your kitchen/bathroom sink
Of all the rooms in your house, the kitchen and bathroom have the most potential to turn buyers off. After all, most people associate these two rooms with cleanliness and hygiene or food preparation, and it’s important they don’t let your property down when potential buyers come to visit. Give the bathroom and kitchen sinks a quick scrub to get them gleaming – putting vinegar soaked kitchen roll on taps can bring these to a brilliant shine that’ll really impress visitors. If you have more time work on the bathtub, toilet and kitchen worktops.

Check out more moving advice from reallymoving.com or get a quote for removals if you've already sold your property!