Advice Area

You can jump to a specific section of this page by clicking on one of the links below:

• Preparing your home for sale
• Kerb Appeal
• Making an entrance
• Living room
• Kitchens and Bathrooms
• Bedrooms
• Stimulate buyers senses
• Declutter all other spaces

Tips supplied by Dawn McKay from New Life Interiors.
For help with your home contact Dawn on +44 (0)77 62882424.

PREPARING YOUR HOME FOR SALE

Any potential purchaser out there will look for the best house at the best price to suit their needs. As a seller you have to remember that most buyers will find it difficult to see how their lifestyle can fit into your home.

When you decide to sell your home it is a good idea to spend some time taking an objective look at it, and imagine how strangers would view your it, right from the moment they pull up to the front.

You need to make sure that your house is the one that stands out – for all the right reasons! A professional Home Staging service will show you how to invest a reasonable sum to create that all important first impression. However there are many things you can do yourself to achieve a more saleable property. When analysing your home you will need to look at the colours, placement of furniture, the window treatments, the general ambiance of each room, and the flow of the property as a whole.

The usual tips apply:

1. Depersonalise – remove family photos and children’s drawings
2. Clean – never leave dirty laundry or dishes for buyers to see
3. Pets – some people are allergic, or scared of certain animals and the smell can be off-putting
4. DIY – never leave DIY undone – this will leave the buyer wondering what else has been left undone.
5. Room temperature – try not to have the house too hot or too cold
6. Have fresh flowers, plants and fruit on display – it might be cheesy, but buyers do react positively to this, even if it is subconsciously.

 <-- Go back to the top of the page

KERB APPEAL

Never underestimate the power of kerb appeal; it’s what gets the buyer into your home. Below are the key points to ensure you maximise your kerb appeal.

1. Most importantly - you need to have your street number on clear display so the buyer can find your house.
2. Define boundaries – never leave the buyer wondering where your property ends and the neighbour’s property begins.
3. Make sure the gutters, driveway, fences, gates, lights, doorbell are all in good order.
4. Clean windows, inside and out – and pay attention to how your blinds/curtains look fro the outside, they should be symmetrical.
5. Take time to give your front door a fresh coat of paint. Certain colours are best – red, black or blue, try to stay away from green, yellow or odd colours such as purple or orange. Keep the door furniture clean and shiny!
6. Ensure the pathway to your front door is clear from rubbish and debris. The pathway should be clearly defined to lead visitors right to the front door.
7. Keep the garden well maintained – remove anything dead or lifeless, and prune back plants that are getting out of control – many people see a unkempt garden as a big job, and potential buyers may be put off if they think that the garden is too much for you to keep on top of.
8. If your garden does not have much colour then invest in some pots with seasonal plants, try to get yellow and red flowering plants as these produce positive feelings in buyers.
9. Make sure that your ‘For Sale’ board is visible from all directions.

 <-- Go back to the top of the page

MAKING AN ENTRANCE

After training with Ann Maurice, Channel five’s House Doctor TM, I now know many of the quick fix tricks to help your home look great without having to spend a fortune.

‘The entrance hall is the gateway to your home.’

People make up their mind if they like your home or not within the first 30 seconds of entering it. That only gives you half a minute to convince them you have a lovely home and that means that your hallway is the most important room in your house!

The hallway is often a neglected area of the house as homeowners only ever see it as a room they need to go through to get to where they really want to be. There is nothing more unwelcoming than a dark and dingy hall.

1. Brighten up your hall - Avoid using pendant lighting in your hall as this will draw the ceiling down and make the space smaller. The best option is to invest in low voltage down lighters.

2. Hang mirrors to fake space - Visually double the size of your hallway by hanging a large mirror to borrow and bounce light. Fit a glazed front door to let as much light in as possible – remember to use safety glass!

3. Clear out clutter - Do not overload coat hooks with masses of coats and scarves. Only hang up those that you use regularly. Store shoes in stacking boxes next to the door or keep them tidy on a shoe rack. The best option is to keep your coats and shoes in a cupboard.

4. Keep walls pale and fresh - Use light and neutral shades of cream and ivory for a light but cosy feel. Soft tones of yellow create a warm welcoming atmosphere; try Stargazer or Sundial from The Little Greene Paint Company. To add protection to a light-coloured wall, try using a matt varnish so marks can be wiped off easier.

5. Choose flooring that reflects light - A coconut mat inset into a well as you walk in through your door will take the brunt of the hard wear that a hall demands. Tiles or laminate and solid wood flooring are good choices, as they are easy to clean and hard wearing. Opt for a shiny light reflective surface to create a larger floor area.

<-- Go back to the top of the page

LIVING ROOM

1. All living rooms should have a focal point – in most homes this is usually the fireplace. If you do not have a fireplace then you should create a focal point.
2. Never cram oversized furniture into a room – put furniture in storage, or borrow space in a friend’s garage if you need to. The furniture should look in proportion to the room and there should be some kind of storage in the room.
3. Give the room balance – place larger pieces opposite each other to create symmetry.
4. Soft furnishings should be clean, it is worth investing in some fresh, new cushions and throws to compliment the colour scheme.
5. The room should have floor lights, table lights, and ceiling lights, in order to create the right ambiance with layers.
6. Try to have the television inside a unit, to keep it from being the focal point, and never have it on for viewings!
7. When grouping accessories remember that less is more. Even numbers, especially pairs are harmonious, balanced and create a calm atmosphere in a room. Odd numbers inspire interest and enthusiasm.

<-- Go back to the top of the page

KITCHENS & BATHROOMS

These rooms should be looked at using the same rules. They should be:

1. Free from clutter – keep the surfaces clean and clear
2. Clean – tile grout needs to be clean and free from mould. Walls and ceilings should be freshly painted.
3. Tiled floors.
4. Box in unsightly pipes.
5. The kitchen and bathroom must feel very hygienic.

<-- Go back to the top of the page

BEDROOMS

1. No televisions or computer equipment – if it is necessary it should be hidden in a unit.
2. There needs to be a bed, wardrobe (built-in or otherwise), chest of drawers and 2 bedside tables. These are standard pieces of furniture that buyers will expect to see in a bedroom.
3. Less really is more in the bedroom – leave it as clutter free as possible. Buyers like to see space in a bedroom.
4. Keep colours neutral in bedrooms – if you insist on colour then add colour with bedding and accessories.
5. If you have space put a chair and small table to create a relaxing area.
6. Children’s rooms need to be tidy and have lots of storage.
7. Teenager’s rooms need to be neutralised and presented to the same standard as the rest of the house.

<-- Go back to the top of the page

STIMULATE BUYERS SENSES – THEY’LL GET ALL THE RIGHT VIBES!

You hear it time and again – buyers saying that they just felt that it was the right house for them!

A buyer buys with their hearts not their mind.

The senses that you need to positively stimulate in the buyer are sight, sound, smell and touch. These senses operate on a subconscious level so the buyer will probably not even be able to explain why they are having positive feelings.

SIGHT

1. every room should have a focal point
2. create a calm environment – use harmonious colours
3. symmetry – place furniture, pictures and accessories in a symmetrical manner to create a balanced atmosphere

SOUND

1. Silence is  deadly
2. Fix that dripping tap – it will put off buyers as a constant drip is very wearing
3. It seems silly but sellers need to remember not to have unnecessary noises when buyers are around – that includes washing machines, televisions, dogs, birds, etc
4. If the property is close to a busy or noisy road then you should consider putting a water feature in the garden to disguise the background noise.

TOUCH

1. Never have the house too hot or too cold
2.  If a potential buyer runs his finger over a surface it should be smooth and spotless
3. Texture in furnishings will stimulate this sense even if the buyer doesn’t actually touch the item – mentally they will have taken note of the sensory stimulation of different textures

SMELL

1. Smell is the most important – as a bad smell can linger in a whole house and put people off
2. Every house has its own smell – you might not smell it but potential buyers will be able to
3. Open windows before viewings if possible – there is nothing better than the smell of fresh air
4. Never use artificial scents such as pot pourri, plug-in air fresheners, spray air fresheners. As an alternative use natural oils such as lavender or lemon in an oil burner
5. Scents to add should be natural – flowers, plants, fruit, bread, coffee!
6. If you have space, place a vase of fresh, scented flowers in your hallway, as their perfume will welcome your guests

<-- Go back to the top of the page

DECLUTTER ALL OTHER SPACES

‘Clutter costs you money!’

Clutter comes in 4 categories:

• things you no longer use
• untidiness
• too many items squeezed into a small space
• unfinished jobs

Clutter can be bad for your own lifestyle and well-being as well as putting off potential buyers.

Clutter costs you money because it will:

• make rooms seem smaller
• distract from good features
• gives impression that the house is neglected
• appearance that there is no room for storage

<-- Go back to the top of the page