Picture this, it’s January 2022 and you’ve decided on a fresh start. 

You’ve been looking at a new property for a while and you’ve found the perfect new home to suit your needs. 

If you want to move home then the New Year is the perfect opportunity to do so, in fact, did you know that Boxing Day and the last week of the year is the busiest time of year for websites like Rightmove and Zoopla as thoughts turn to moving plans and the future. 

So, the new year is the perfect opportunity to move, but how do you make your property picture-perfect for a quick and easy sale? 

Well, here are nine of our top tips on how to do just that.

1. Deep Clean and Declutter

One of the first things that we always advise our clients to do is to declutter and deep clean if needed.

First impressions really do matter and it’s vital for your potential buyers to get a great first impression when they set foot in the property. your buyers are imagining making your house their next home, so making sure that they can interpret the space will feed heavily into their final decision.

To do this, decluttering can really help, as can ensuring that everything is clean and doesn’t present them with the feeling that it will take a lot of work for them to get the home how they want it. 

Make sure all curtains are open and as much natural light is in each room as possible when potential buyers visit – even more important on winter days when it gets light earlier. 

2. De-Personalise your home if possible

As we’ve already said, your buyers want to imagine their new home when they set through the door. This can be made trickier if you have too many pictures of your childhood, your wedding, your own children, pets or family everywhere. The same goes for children’s artwork. This can make it feel like the house is well lived in and whilst this gives a homely feel it can also make it harder for potential buyers to imagine themselves living in your property. 

To help buyers and keep your privacy intact for the Estate Agent photos, try putting pictures and photos away when showing the home.  

3.Keep it Neutral

You may be a huge fan of purple, green, blue or orange walls, but when trying to sell your home, it’s important to remember that the colour of your walls is subjective and could be enough to put a buyer off!

You could consider painting rooms to a nice neutral muted colour and keep furniture to a minimum to increase the likelihood of a quick sale. This makes the house aesthetically pleasing and draws buyers into picturing living there.

4.Redefine your rooms

Has your guest room become the kid’s playroom? Is the dining hall your part time office or the garage the hobby room? With so many of us working from home, or spending more time at home, it’s entirely possible that the rooms in your home have been redefined over the last couple of years. 

When selling your home, its advantageous to make sure that the room resembles its original use. If a room has to have a dual use – for example a spare room/playroom, then try putting all the toys away, making the bed and neatening the room so it looks more appealing, and this will help with finding a buyer. 

5.Remove bad odours 

Over the years, your house will have been through many things like cooking meals, burning candles, people smoking, blocked drains even and whilst your house may not smell weird to you sometimes it can to other people. 

Giving your property a nice smell makes it feel fresh, new and inviting and entices people in. Nice scents for room sprays, reed diffusers or candles include orange, lemon, vanilla, cinnamon, cedar or pin, although avoid the smell being too strong as this can have a negative response. Of course, the smell of freshly baked bread seems to be the most popular in encouraging buyers to make an offer. 

6.Think about the garden

How long has it been since your garden’s seen a lawnmower? Or the bushes have been cut back? Do you really need that rusty old trampoline? Are the gutters overflowing or thick with leaves? Presentation is key and your buyers are noticing every little detail and considering how your house adapts to their lifestyle. 

They could want a space to host garden parties in the summer, or maybe they want a nice view from the window. 

If you do have a gorgeous view, then cut back the trees and trim the hedges to capitalise on that. Cut any long grass so people can visualize it as their own area. Also clean up any flowerbeds so they look nice and pretty. If you don’t want to do it yourself then considering getting a gardener in to do so.

7. Think about the front exterior 

Also think about the front of your house. Does it need a paint job? Do the hanging baskets need freshening up? Is the driveway looking a bit cluttered? They may seem like small details, but they really do make a lot of difference. 

8. Be responsive

Once you’ve found your buyer and set a price, don’t take a lot of time between confirming the deal and moving out. The longer you leave it, the more time the buyer has to pull out of the deal which annoys the buyer and complicates things more for the both of you. Once the deal is done set a date that works for both of you and commit to it to ensure as smooth a transaction as possible. 

9. Planning your next move

Whist the selling process is happening then it’s also normally your turn to become the buyer and to also plan your next move. 

It’s helpful to register with good local estate agents who can advise you of property coming to market. 

It’s also wise to register with websites like Rightmove and Zoopla. On these websites you can set the location or post codes you want. For example, if you want your children to go a particular school you can look for houses within 5 miles of the school and get alerted whenever a house goes on sale. This means that you can stay on top of the current local market and be in a great position to move as soon as is viable. 

We hope these tips helped with preparing your home for sale and moving in the new year. We’re always happy to advise on all things local housing market related, so for any help and advice, please do pop into the office or give us a call!