Kerb Appeal - how to achieve it

When property experts talk about ‘kerb appeal,’ they are referring to the first impression that a property makes when viewing it from the outside. Homes with real kerb appeal look smart, well cared-for and easy to maintain.

Giving your home’s exterior a bit of extra attention can help to entice more potential buyers to look inside. Read on for our 9 top tips for great kerb appeal.

Where to begin?

When you have become used to the place you live, you may find that you don’t notice the small details that potential buyers will look out for when inspecting your home. It is this attention to detail that will really count when you are trying to attract a buyer.

When selling your home, you need to demonstrate that your property is well looked after. A good way to find out what improvements your home needs is to take a few steps back, and try to imagine your property through the eyes of someone who has never seen it before. Look at your home from across the street. Are you pleased by what you see or are there any areas that need attention? Make notes of your findings and spend some time deciding how you will address these issues.

If you notice any flaws that may be down to structural problems, it is worth getting the advice of a chartered surveyor, who will be able to recommend the best way of dealing with them.

Spruce up your front door

The very first thing you should do is make sure your front door is up to scratch. If you have a doorbell, make sure that it is in working order. Your front door can tempt a potential buyer inside your home to see more, or it can make them want to run a mile. If their grand tour begins in a grim and dusty porch in front of a peeling front doorway, that uneasy feeling can be difficult to shake, even if your interior is immaculate. Adding a coat of paint and some shiny new fittings doesn’t cost a lot and will be well worth the effort.  Try polishing your door knocker and letterbox - you may have lovely original brass hidden underneath the tarnish!

Repaint

A fresh coat of paint can provide a complete face-lift for your property.  It is important to choose a colour that suits both your property and its setting. If you need inspiration, refer to the colours your neighbours have used for their homes.

You will also need to make sure that all your exterior woodwork looks neat and tidy, so check whether your windowsills need repainting, too.

Check outdoor lighting

When was the last time you made sure that your outdoor lighting was all working correctly? Walk around your property after dark and make a note of any bulbs that need replacing.

Have your windows cleaned

Cleaning your windows can make a big difference to your property’s facade. It will also let more light into your rooms and brighten up the inside of your property, too.

Neaten up the garden

Trim hedges, mow the lawn regularly and sweep all the pathways. The garden is an important part of a property for many people, so the way you set it up can really help sell your house.

If you have a garden, try to set it up so it appeals to the type of person you are marketing your property to. If your home would suit a first time buyer, setting up an area with some garden furniture will emphasise the potential for entertaining. If you are selling to parents, make the most of any open space as a great play area for children.

Install tubs and containers

If your garden needs brightening up, some well-placed colourful pots can work wonders to enhance your outside space, especially if your garden is small. The great thing about container gardens is that you can take the tubs and pots with you when you move. Plant brightly coloured flowers in summer; in winter, various textured grasses should do the trick nicely.

Scatter wildflower seeds

Try scattering some wildflower seeds in early springtime if your flowerbeds are a bit bare; this can give just the splash of colour that they need. Wildflowers tend to be quite hardy and are quite low-maintenance if you are a lazy gardener! The seeds don’t cost much from garden centres, and the flowers are also great for wildlife, attracting beautiful butterflies and bees to your garden.

Conceal your dustbins

Put your dustbins and recycling bins out of sight, if you can, when you have a viewing arranged. It’s unlikely that having them on display will seriously deter buyers, but clearing them away will improve the general presentation of your home and make it more appealing.

You may find that just by making a few simple changes like this, your property will seem far more attractive to buyers, and you can then begin to look for a property solicitor to help you sell your home.

Photo: Tom Curtis / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

6 Tips for selling property in a difficult market

It’s been a difficult year in the housing market, and with fears of a return to recession, things are not looking up.  Buyers are strapped for cash, finding it harder to get a loan, and complaining of a dearth of affordable property available. 

However, there will always be people who for one reason or another need to move, and you can do a lot to help yourself to attract those serious buyers to your property. So if you are selling, you might have to work that little bit harder these days, to close a deal and here are 6 tips to help you get on your way.

1. Choose your estate agent carefully

In tough times it is more important than ever to have someone on your side who has good local knowledge (the wider reach of a network as well is a bonus) and is a skilled negotiator on your behalf.  Personal recommendation is always a good way of identifying a good agent, but even more critical is feeling reassured that this is a team that will represent your interests well, and with whom you can work during what could prove to be quite a stressful time.  See our blog on Tips for Choosing your Estate Agent

2.  Price Realistically from the start

This will save you time in the long run: if you are too aggressive to start with, you’ll only have to bring the price down later on.  By that time your details will be looking tired to serious prospective buyers in your area.  Your property may also be listed on some property websites that monitor every sale price as it changes, such as www.home.co.uk.  It is not always healthy for buyers to see how you have lowered the price.  Check what similar properties in your area have fetched on mouseprice.co.uk, and be realistic about how yours compares.

3.  Make a good first impression

It’s more important than ever in a poor market to make the property as attractive as possible.  Dealing with an unruly front garden, cleaning the windows and their woodwork, keeping the place very tidy and so on cost little or nothing and make a big difference.  (If necessary, the cost of a coat of paint can pay for itself.)  Not only will the place look nicer, it will look as though it is loved by you, which will increase its ‘curbside’ appeal.

4.  Be flexible

Prepare to negotiate and to offer extras such as legal costs, repairs and renovations (or a discount to cover them) as well as fixtures and fittings such as appliances and curtains.  Make sure your estate agent listens carefully to any concerns the prospective buyer has and feeds back to you.  Then you can react immediately to counter wherever possible.

  5.  Embrace technology

Make sure your estate agent has the main property sites covered, and make creative use yourself of the tools at your disposal.  Sellers are increasingly making YouTube videos to showcase their property.  Tell all your Facebook friends that you are looking to sell – you never know, one of their friends might be looking!

6.  Help with viewings

If you are on hand to answer any questions about the fabric of the property and the local area, then as long as you can be enthusiastic and come across as trustworthy and accommodating, you could be an excellent spokesperson.   Print out any local planning applications that may or may not affect the property as these will arise in the solicitor’s searches anyway. See more in our article Information To Reveal to your Buyer. This way you can chat about their likely or unlikely impact informally.  The personal touch might just tip the balance.

Look on the bright side: in today’s market you’ll have fewer prospective buyers but they are less likely to waste your time, and some effort on your part can really pay dividends.

image:  ddpavumba / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Selling your home in winter

Winter is a time when the property market does slow down, but that doesn’t mean it will be impossible to sell your home. Read on for our tips to keep your chance of selling high as the temperature falls.

Easy Access

A sprinkling of snow looks pretty, but do make sure that there is a clear path to your door so that your viewer doesn’t go away with the memory of wading through freezing snowdrifts. Grit the paths if it is icy to avoid any slippery accidents!

It would be a nice gesture to remove your own car from the driveway so that your viewer can park nearer to your door and doesn’t get too cold on the way to your house.

Because it gets dark so early, try to make sure that your outside space is well-lit, so that people can see where they are walking. You can buy solar-powered garden lights very cheaply that you can stick in the ground at various points around the outside of your house to light the way.

Shed some light on the subject

Winter light, or lack thereof, can make buildings and rooms look tired and dingy, so make sure you turn the lights on for your house viewings to brighten up the place. Make the most of what little natural light there is by cleaning your windows and opening your curtains wide.

Make sure it’s warm

Make sure that the heating is on in every room about half an hour before your viewers arrive so that it’s nice and warm when they get there. Don’t go over the top with heating, though, as buyers probably won’t take their coats off when they enter your home and if your house is too hot it might make them want to leave.

If you are lucky enough to have a working fireplace and are going to be around when the viewing takes place, lighting the fire is a nice touch. If you don’t have a fire, lighting a few candles here and there will also create a sense of warmth. Never leave them unattended, though.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

How energy efficient is your home? Get an Energy Performance Certificate to find out.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Make it smell nice

Avoid cooking smelly food before your viewings. It’s also best to avoid using strong air fresheners or room perfumes as not only can they be overpowering but they can make your potential buyer wonder what odours you are trying to mask. Although it’s a bit cliché, a tried and tested aroma is a fresh pot of coffee which should do the trick nicely.

Set the scene

Your best bet to sell your home in winter is to create a warm, cosy atmosphere, away from the wind and cold. The worse the weather is, the more appealing a nice cosy house will seem.

Drape warm, snuggly blankets or throws over your chairs, and place an open box of posh chocolates and some stylish magazines on the coffee table to make your living room really lavish and inviting.

Feeling festive?

It’s a jolly time of year when the Christmas decorations go up, and having your halls decked for your house viewings can be really charming. Just keep the decorations tasteful and make sure that the twinkly lights compliment, not detract from, your home’s best features. Why not keep a plate of mince pies handy to offer to any house-hunting guests that drop by?

It will be more difficult to make your home look less personal while all your decorations are up, but there are still some things that you can do to depersonalise your space. Your viewers need to be able to imagine themselves living in the house, so remove personal ornaments and family portraits. It is also a good idea to put gifts out of view.

Make sure your home doesn’t look cluttered as this can be off-putting to buyers. Instead of adding extra adornments, just substitute some of your usual ornaments for Christmas ones and then switch them back once Christmas is over.

Don’t forget your garden

Even though it’s cold outside, potential buyers are still likely to want to see any outside space you have, too. So, put on your wellies and sweep up those fallen leaves, give your lawn the last mow of the season and prune any overgrowing shrubs. If you can see the garden from your property,

We hope these tips will help you attract a buyer this winter, and you will soon be ready to find a property solicitor and get started selling your property. 

Simon Howden / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Decorating to sell on a low budget: 10 tips for impressing buyers

If you want to sell your home, but don’t have the budget for a complete makeover, think about the small touches you can add to your property that will make all the difference when impressing potential buyers.

Here are some suggestions to get you inspired:

1. Declutter

This is perhaps the most important thing you can do. If you have lots of clutter, it could detract viewers from seeing the potential your home has to offer. Why not give yourself a head start on packing to move and put some of your items in storage, ready for moving day? This will help you to impress buyers with a nice clear space that complements your property’s best features.

2. Storage

Renting storage space is not expensive – a small storage unit (big enough for a 1 bed flat) can cost in the region of £15 per week with BigYellow Self Storage*, though costs can vary depending which company you choose. Read our blog about storage for more information.

3. Depersonalise

Aside from clutter, personal items like family photos could also distract viewers from looking at the actual property, and make it more difficult to imagine living there. So put these out of sight when showing viewers round, and avoid having too many ornaments on display.

4. A lick of paint

This is one of the easiest ways to make your rooms look fresh again. A pot of paint or two won’t cost a fortune and a new colour can completely transform the look and feel of a room. When you are decorating to sell, it’s best to stick to neutral colours, and you’ll be able find a whole range of cool and warm tones available to suit every kind of space.

5. Go Neutral with splashes of colour

It is likely that a neutral colour scheme will help attract buyers, but this doesn’t mean it has to be boring! You can jazz up neutral tones by adding a splash of colour here and there with the accessories you choose. Try adding a few homely, yet impersonal items; like cushions, throws, candles, or flowers.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Nervous about moving? Our Guide to Selling your House could help.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

6. Clean kitchen and bathroom

If you need to update your kitchen but don’t have the money for a new one, perhaps you could paint your existing cupboards for a fresh new look. You can buy specialist paint, made specifically for this purpose and you’d be amazed at the difference it can make to your kitchen’s appearance. Also, clearing your kitchen’s work surfaces will create the illusion of having more space instantly.

7. Replace or re-grout

If you can’t afford to renew a tired bathroom suite, you could just replace your old tiles. This is a much cheaper option and you can find tiles to suit any kind of budget. If you are doing the tiling yourself, choosing larger tiles will cut down the time the job will take.  Alternatively, re-grout the old tiles and replace any mouldy sealant, which instantly lifts your bathroom.

8. Finish all those little DIY jobs

If you’ve got a list of repairs that need doing, this is your last chance to do them! If there is anything that looks unfinished, it may lead buyers to worry about larger issues lurking beneath the surface.

9.  Wash your curtains

Particularly if you have net curtains....  clean nets will let in more light.  Cleaning old curtains will help eradicate any smells, and you may be able to sell them with your home.

10. Don’t forget your exteriors.

A lick of paint to your front door or even a good clean down with a damp cloth will make a good first impression.  Clean the windows inside and out to maximise natural light. Mow the lawn as well, for instant neatness and tidy up the edges of your garden.

Don’t forget to read our other blog posts for more helpful advice for attracting buyers.

*Estimate is correct at time of publishing  Image: FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Three things about house buyers you may not know

Buyers want to like your house as it means they'll be able to move soonerBuying and selling a house can be an intricate process, and like lots of things in life, if you can get into the minds of the people you’re dealing with you may find it easier to get the result you want. After all, you’re dealing with human beings who are probably as stressed with the moving process as you are, and would like nothing more than for it to all be over and be settled in their new property having the time of their lives.

It’s not always as simple as that, but knowing certain things can definitely increase your chances of getting the result you desire. If you’re selling a property, realising a few things about what buyers are going through can make all the difference, so read our top tips and help yourself out in the long run.

Buyers want to love your house
Looking for a house you want to move into can seem like a neverending heartache if you’ve been doing it for a while. Buyers really want to walk into your house and be blown away by how much it fits with what they want in life. They want to believe it’s the house of their dreams because otherwise they’ve wasted another journey and are no closer to completion. Because of this, they’re on your side – sell them the benefits of your property, spruce it up and welcome them in like they own it. They may well come to if you play your cards right.

Buyers are looking for potential
Some homeowners unfortunately make the mistake of making their house as feature-packed as possible so that if one thing doesn’t impress a buyer then another one will. However buyers are looking for a house’s potential rather than how it looks when they walk in the door. When people buy a new house they inevitably change things to bring it line with their vision, and make it their own whether through new decorations, renovations or new furniture. Because of this they’ll need to envisage themselves in your house when they walk in the door, which will prove difficult if too many of your possessions are prominent.

Buyers are worried about committing
Buying a house can be the most difficult thing around – the commitment required is enormous, as after the contracts have been exchanged in the conveyancing process there’s no going back. That’s why many buyers take years to find a house because the only thing they’ll accept is an absolutely perfect property with no faults. After a while they typically realise they may have to lower their standards and settle for a property they are very keen on. With this in mind, be sympathetic to their cause and tell the truth about your property – if they think they can get a decent deal on a quality house that has a lot of potential, it’s likely an offer will be made.

Best of luck selling your house.