In our last article Preparing your home for sale we gave some useful advice on what to do when selling your home. But because selling your home is so important we have added another article to cover stuff we may have missed.

After all it would be a shame to fall at the last hurdle after all your hard work. The most important thing when selling your property is too make sure it’s clean. I know this sounds obvious but liken your property to a car in a showroom, it must look immaculate in order for you to attract the best price and buyers.

I’ve provided a check list of things you should remember to keep clean and tidy. Some of these are obvious but when you are rushing around trying to get everything done it’s easy to miss certain things.
• The front and back garden should be well kept and clear of rubbish
• Keep the windows spotless inside and out
• Dust the window sills and skirting boards ensure there are no obvious marks
• Check that all the lights are in working order
• Clean the kitchen and bathroom and make sure the taps are sparkling
• Clean inside the cupboards, draws and wardrobes, its quite common for would be buyers to take a peek inside storage areas
• Ensure that all the flooring and carpets are vacuumed and kept clean
• Another thing you should do is to go outside onto the street and check to see if there are any eyesores such as piles of left rubbish or old dumped furniture. If potential buyers notice this stuff just sitting on the street it may give them the wrong impression

The next most important thing is how you furnish your property. In a way when you are selling a property you are selling a lifestyle and the choices you make and the way you position the furniture will help viewers perceive how they will live in it. You are trying to convey a comfortable welcoming environment, so if you can afford to keep a nice bowl of fruit and a vase of flowers in the property and obviously replace them when they go bad then do it.

You can also rent furniture for a short period of time to dress the property. However, if you can’t afford to do any of this then just keep it empty. If you are confident in the finish then in some circumstances a property can look better.

When you are dressing a living room avoid placing an over sized sofa, it will make the room look small. If you have a mantelpiece place a large mirror above or on it, this will give the room depth. You have to tread a fine line between clutter and easy living. I would suggest putting in a coffee table and an arm chair or two to provide the impression that the property can be moved straight into.

As for the kitchen it’s easy to get carried away putting all kinds of things to make it feel ‘homey’. I would suggest a vase of flowers or a bowl of fruit and if you have room a table. One thing to remember is not to have too many chairs around the table this could make the kitchen look cluttered.

The bedrooms only need a bed in them, however if you can, a nice wardrobe can finish it off well but this is not essential by any means. You don’t need an expensive bed just pick up a second hand one and place nice bed linen and sheets over it to make it look inviting. Another thing to keep in mind as with the sofa, make sure the bed is in proportion to the size of the room. If you can only fit a single in don’t try and cram a double bed in it will only make the room look even more cramped.

Once you have made sure the property is in perfect shape for selling, don’t forget about it. Continue to keep it ultra clean and if you don’t live there ensure you visit it regularly keeping the garden well maintained and the property clean and tidy. This will give your property the edge.

If you are living in the property then you have to remember it is not your home any more, it is a vehicle for making you money. If you have lots of belongings that are taking up lots of room, put them in storage. When you go off to work remember people might view the property, so don’t leave washing lying around and dirty dishes in the sink. You can ask the estate agents to give you 24 hours notice before any viewings this should give you plenty of notice to get your property in order before any viewings.

Related posts:

1. Preparing your home for sale
2. Property Development and Information
3. Property design advice
4. Know who your sales market is
5. Financing a Property Development