If you’re thinking of selling your home this winter, then there’s nothing more important than making sure it looks its very best. Here’s how to make your home sparkle this season.
CURB APPEAL
When you list your home for sale, you won’t get a second chance to make a good first impression, so preparation and presentation is key. Firstly, put yourself in the shoes of a buyer and closely inspect your home’s exterior, including the facade, entry and driveway. Can you see any rubbish, wear and tear, flaking paint, scratches, dents, or is anything cracked or broken? Make a list of any unkempt areas as early as possible so you have enough time to address them or organise repairs before your property goes on the market. Remember, a little bit of effort can transform your home from old and tired to fresh, attractive and well maintained.
GARDENS
Your front and rear gardens also play an important role when it comes to first impressions so it’s crucial to tend to your green spaces before your property goes on the market. Start by giving your garden a thorough clean and tidy by raking old leaves and debris, mowing lawns, and decluttering the yard of tools and equipment. Hire a skip and throw out anything you don’t need or that doesn’t add value to the presentation of the property. For plants, flowers and garden beds, prune where needed and replace old or dying plants with new bulbs and seeds best suited for the season.
WARM IT UP
As the temperature drops across the capital, there’s nothing more important than making sure your home is warm and welcoming when buyers start to come through the door. Keep things comfortable by making sure your heating is on at least an hour before people start to arrive, but be careful not to turn it up too high. If you have a fireplace, then light it well before inspection time to add warmth and create an atmosphere of relaxation and comfort. Another plus to having the heating on when buyers arrive is that it will show them that your systems are in working order. You can also add to the mood by making the most of lighting, so turn on all of your lights and lamps and light some candles to give your home a warm glow. Also consider adding soft furnishings and accessories around your home to create a cosy feeling – think textured cushions, thick rugs and wintery blankets draped over couches and beds. All of these little touches will make buyers want to snuggle up in your home and will show them how cosy it can be in the colder months.
CLEAN AND DECLUTTER
If you’re putting your home on the market, then it should be sparkling clean before any buyers inspect it. Start by cleaning and decluttering areas that buyers will pay extra attention to and rooms they will spend the most time in, as well as high traffic areas that attract and accumulate the most dirt. Declutter and reorganise surfaces, especially tables and benches, clean walls and kitchen cupboard doors, and don’t forget to remove dust from blinds, shutters and light fittings. Take the time to give all of your windows a good clean and remove any dirt, dust or streaks. Clean windows will also help enhance sunlight during the darker and more overcast days. Remember, unclean areas of your home will be obvious to buyers and will detract from what should be a wellpresented space.
POOL
If your pool hasn’t been used in a while then take some time to give it a good clean before any prospective buyers see it, so remove any sticks, leaves, dust and debris as a minimum. As the cooler weather starts to settle in, you should close down your pool for a few months so consider adding a winter treatment to the water, which usually includes a high dose of chlorine as well as an algaecide – both will help to keep the pool clean and prevent algae growth. It’s also worth investing in a thick winter cover to prevent dirt and debris from entering the pool over the season, which may cause algae to grow.
_
