{"id":17021,"date":"2018-06-07T09:23:13","date_gmt":"2018-06-07T09:23:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.thehouseshop.com\/property-blog\/?p=17021"},"modified":"2018-06-07T09:40:36","modified_gmt":"2018-06-07T09:40:36","slug":"how-to-get-your-home-sale-ready-this-summer","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.thehouseshop.com\/property-blog\/how-to-get-your-home-sale-ready-this-summer\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Get Your Home Sale-Ready this Summer"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<!-- SEO Ultimate Plus (https:\/\/seoultimateplus.com) - Code Inserter module -->\n<script async>(function(s,u,m,o,j,v){j=u.createElement(m);v=u.getElementsByTagName(m)[0];j.async=1;j.src=o;j.dataset.sumoSiteId='b68b392479b5981b8acf46565e9fe32a0734fc21a1f7c1e60121eaa6ca1a1c64';v.parentNode.insertBefore(j,v)})(window,document,'script','\/\/load.sumo.com\/');<\/script>\n<!-- \/SEO Ultimate Plus -->\n\n<p>Preparing to put your home on the market? If you think that selling-up is as simple as listing with an estate agent, you\u2019d be wrong. Putting some effort and investment into your property prior to advertising it might seem like an unnecessary hassle, but if you\u2019re keen to secure a good price without too much waiting around, pay attention.<\/p>\n<p>The 6-8 weeks before putting your home on the market is the perfect timeframe for completing those outstanding odd-jobs, freshening up the fa\u00e7ade and for getting a better understanding of your market \u2013 all of which can make a surprising difference to the value of your property. Interested in knowing how you can squeeze a bit more into your asking price? Here\u2019s our guide.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Stage 1: Do your research<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>As they say, knowledge is power. By conducting your own research into recent sales prices of comparable properties near to you, you don\u2019t have to rely on an estate agent\u2019s spiel about what your property could be worth. Unfortunately, unscrupulous agents will sometimes down-value your home to achieve a quick sale or try and convince you they can get a higher price so that you\u2019re more tempted to list with them. A formal valuation from a qualified surveyor is another way to do get an impartial idea of your property\u2019s current value.<\/p>\n<p>Talking of surveyors, consider commissioning a property survey before your home goes on the market. A survey will identify any structural flaws within the building, highlighting any defects that need urgent repair or significant investment. Most buyers will insist upon getting their own survey before committing to a purchase, so it can be a good idea to prepare yourself by arranging your own. It\u2019s up to you whether you action any of the recommended repairs \u2013 significant issues are likely to affect the value of your home.<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" width=\"605\" height=\"340\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/dTlJV8z2aM0?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"autoplay; encrypted-media\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p><strong>Source:<\/strong> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.coseyhomes.co.uk\/why-do-i-need-a-survey\/\">https:\/\/www.coseyhomes.co.uk\/why-do-i-need-a-survey\/<\/a><\/p>\n<p>Finally, start planning your own budget and mortgage arrangements. Carefully address your finances to work out what you can comfortably afford to spend on your next home (factoring in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thehouseshop.com\/conveyancing-quotes\" title=\"conveyancing\">conveyancing<\/a> costs, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thehouseshop.com\/compare-estate-agents\" title=\"estate agents\">estate agents<\/a> fees and removals) so that you\u2019re ready to move when you get an offer.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Step 2: Get those DIY tasks done<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>We\u2019ve all got those little odd-jobs that are pushed to the back of our minds. However, while we\u2019re used to a wobbly step, loose door handle or chipped paintwork, a buyer isn\u2019t going to be so laid-back about them. Each \u201csnag\u201d will make your home feel more tired and unloved, ultimately hurting your bottom line. Grab your toolkit and walk through your home with a snagging checklist (here\u2019s <a href=\"http:\/\/www.nhbc.co.uk\/nhbcpublications\/literaturelibrary\/homeownerdocuments\/filedownload,42392,en.pdf\">an example by the NHBC<\/a>) and tackle these tasks in a weekend or two.<\/p>\n<p>If any areas of your home look dated, now is a good time to give them a spruce up \u2013 a fresh lick of paint or new door handles are all it takes to quickly revive a tired hallway or kitchen. Worn-out furniture should be put into storage (or donated away), and all clutter needs to be tidied away or gotten rid of. That goes for toys, papers and pet paraphernalia &#8211; potential purchasers want to actually see the house, not just your stuff.<\/p>\n<p>Don\u2019t forget to look at the outside, too! First-impressions and curb appeal are huge factors when it comes to buyers falling in love with a potential new home. Sweep the path, trim the lawn and give your front door a good scrub.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Step 3: Staging<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>To start getting people through the door, the pictures in your property listing should reflect how good your home is now looking.<\/p>\n<p>Before your agent comes round with their camera, it\u2019s worth hiring a professional cleaning agency to give it a deep-clean from floor to ceiling. Make an extra effort to hide away any remaining clutter \u2013 right down to bathroom bits, family photographs, coats and shoes. Your buyers should be able to easily imagining themselves living there.<\/p>\n<p><span id=\"urn:enhancement-73d78481-f3a1-e4bf-30ba-a2e363274138\" class=\"textannotation\"><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-17035\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thehouseshop.com\/property-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/06\/tidy-home.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1000\" height=\"666\" \/><\/span><\/p>\n<p>Finally, make your home look as bright and inviting as possible. Open window dressings as wide as possible to let natural light flood in and illuminate dark corners with lamps and mirrors. You can see <a href=\"https:\/\/www.houzz.com\/ideabooks\/2661221\/list\/sell-your-home-fast-21-staging-tips\">more staging tips here<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Step 4: Prepare for viewings<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>It might be obvious, but it\u2019s a good idea to keep your home looking immaculate throughout the viewing process. You might want to arrange for a cleaner to drop by once a week and possibly arrange for shedding pets to stay with a friend or relatives for a short time.<\/p>\n<p>While being conscious of mess, be similarly mindful of the foods you\u2019re cooking. Strong odours from garlic, bacon, curry or cabbage will linger for several days and can be very off-putting to buyers. There are various ways in which you can <a href=\"https:\/\/www.grandparents.com\/food-and-leisure\/home-and-garden\/get-rid-of-odors-house\">actively neutralise any powerful smells<\/a>, and using subtle fragrance plug-ins will create a more pleasant atmosphere when people come viewing.<\/p>\n<p>As you can see, most of these steps require only minimal effort and investment but will quickly add up to make your home look and feel more valuable than it does right now. It really doesn\u2019t take much to make your house stand out from the competition, and a few tweaks will encourage buyers to snap your house up as soon as possible.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Preparing to put your home on the market? If you think that selling-up is as simple as listing with an estate agent, you\u2019d be wrong. Putting some effort and investment into your property prior to advertising it might seem like<span class=\"ellipsis\">&hellip;<\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"read-more\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thehouseshop.com\/property-blog\/how-to-get-your-home-sale-ready-this-summer\/\">Read more &#8250;<\/a><\/div>\n<p><!-- end of .read-more --><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":41,"featured_media":17022,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"wl_entities_gutenberg":"","_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","spay_email":""},"categories":[16,8],"tags":[],"wl_entity_type":[602],"modified_by":null,"_wl_alt_label":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.thehouseshop.com\/property-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/06\/kitchen.jpg","wl:entity_url":"http:\/\/data.wordlift.io\/wl0502\/post\/how_to_get_your_home_sale-ready_this_summer","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thehouseshop.com\/property-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17021"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thehouseshop.com\/property-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thehouseshop.com\/property-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thehouseshop.com\/property-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/41"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thehouseshop.com\/property-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=17021"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.thehouseshop.com\/property-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17021\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":17037,"href":"https:\/\/www.thehouseshop.com\/property-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17021\/revisions\/17037"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thehouseshop.com\/property-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/17022"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thehouseshop.com\/property-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=17021"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thehouseshop.com\/property-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=17021"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thehouseshop.com\/property-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=17021"},{"taxonomy":"wl_entity_type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thehouseshop.com\/property-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/wl_entity_type?post=17021"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}