5 ways to prepare your house for sale

If you’re in the process of selling your home, it’s important to do everything you can to ensure that your house is as appealing to potential buyers as possible. Spending some time on your home before putting it on the market can often result in a faster sale and even a higher sale price. From creating an excellent first impression to deep cleaning your property, there are many things you can do to prepare for viewings.

Here at Oakheart, we have an experienced team of property experts across Essex and Suffolk who can guide you through the selling process and help you with finding your next home too! Need to find out what your property is worth? We can provide you with instant free home valuation. 

Decided to sell your home in Colchester? Here’s a few ways to prepare your home for sale… 

When viewing a property, first impressions really do matter. It’s important to ensure that potential buyers are not put off before they even step foot inside. Making sure that the outside of the property is well maintained is a great first step. It might be a good idea to take a look at your house and compare it to the other properties on your street. If you have a front garden, you could make sure that it’s tidy and in good condition. Similarly, you could ensure that your windows are clean and the front door looks inviting. 

When you’re moving home, it’s a good idea to get organised and begin sorting through your belongings. Studies have shown that clutter can actually increase stress levels and at a time where emotions may be running high, it’s important to maintain as calm and level headed as possible. Clutter can also make your space look a lot smaller and some potential buyers may not be able to see past it. The last thing you’d want is for people to be tripping over shoes strewn across the entrance hall or having to squeeze past a mountain of your belongings. Keeping your home free of clutter will help lessen distractions and help you draw attention to the best assets of your property.  

A good amount of storage space is often an excellent selling point. It’s highly likely that potential buyers will want to take a look inside of cupboards and other storage areas. If these spaces are full to the brim with your personal items, it might make buyers assume that there isn’t enough space for their belongings. If you’ve already decluttered as much as you can, you might want to consider asking friends or family members to store some of your belongings for a short period of time. You might find that a storage unit suits your needs better. If neither of these options are suitable, spending some time reorganising might help you showcase the amount of space available.

It’s always a good idea to ensure that your entire home is sparkling clean before a house viewing. A clean and tidy property is always more appealing and can help you effectively showcase the best parts of your home. Curtains, carpets and sofas often hold onto smells which can affect a buyers decision. So, you might want to consider getting these professionally cleaned. 

If you’re planning on giving your home a freshen up and a new lick of paint, it’s a good idea to say neutral. A colour scheme is all down to personal preference and whilst you may love bold colours and bright patterns, it’s important to remember that those viewing your home may not have the same preferences. It’s common for people to prefer a blank canvas too which would allow them to make the property their own.