Tips which always work
These are some short, sure fire ways of making the house inviting. 1) Clean your windows and open your curtains wide! The only exception to this is a window which overlooks something really unsightly in which case invest in a white roller blind or etch the window. 2) Turn on the heating but plan for it to go off about half an hour before the buyers arrive. The house will feel comfortable and they will assume it is always like this. 3) Never forget that fresh flowers can change a room. Daffs on a mantelpiece, roses in a glass by the bed, Peonies on the...
Read MoreKitchen – The room which generally sells the house.
The ability to replace doors and worktops is pretty well publicised and something I would recommend if you don’t have new / granite worktops and good quality doors, however I am going to focus on other changes. 1) Clean your kitchen. A proper spring clean where you go through the cupboards and throw out stuff you haven’t used in 3 years. Remember people will open your cupboards and the inside has to be as tidy as the outside. 2) Clear your work surfaces. There is no need to have every bit of kitchen kit you’ve ever bought out. I personally feel the maximum you...
Read MoreThe lounge / sitting room / drawing room
The lounge / sitting room / drawing room (or whatever else you may call it) is one of the most important rooms in a house which people remember, after the kitchen. This is the room where furniture can have the most detrimental affect… especially a TV. FACT: Generally when women look at sitting rooms they ask if their sofa will fit, men ask if their TV will fit! 1) I always say it. DE CLUTTER!!! Most sitting rooms I work on require at least 3 boxes of books, magazines, ornaments, pictures and other household ‘stuff’ put into storage before the room has the look...
Read MoreBeat the January buyer blues with Colour;
There is a general impression that the ideal way to sell a property is to paint the entire place magnolia. Research shows buyers do want a blank canvas, but also want to buy a house which feels like a home. By introducing the right kind of colours in the right places it will achieve both. This task works when you think about the house / flat as a whole. Go through the house and see which is the most common colour of the cushions, curtains, ornaments, lampshades etc. Once you’ve identified this – this is your theme colour. If you have two main colours, choose the softer of...
Read MoreDe-cluttering is actually easier than you think.
If property is Location, Location, Location then styling to sell / rent is De-clutter, De-clutter, De-clutter! 1) Start with a large box which is sturdy enough to take some weight, selotape, a large market pen, a pad and biro. Choose a room at a time and aim to fill 1 box per room. 2) Stand in the middle of your room with your pad and biro. Choose a wall (it doesn’t matter which because you are going to keep turning until you’ve faced all of them) and look at everything against that wall which could easily be stored away for a few months until you...
Read MoreMaking a positive first impression with your entrance;
We go through it at least one a day but it’s easy to let your front drive / garden / step make a bad first impression Put yourself in the shoes of your guest and stand at the front of the house with the door closed. Check your borders. Does the wall need repairing, is the fence collapsing, are your neighbours plants taking over your garden? A well maintained boarder will help assure your guest that the rest of the property is equally well maintained. How secure / safe is the path and step? Fix or replace any loose or missing paving material with matching material. If you are...
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