The way you present your property to prospective buyers can make all the difference between success and failure. In fact, certain intangible characteristics are often crucial to conveying the message that yours is the dream home they've been searching for. You can show your apartment in the very best light without investing in expensive or time-consuming renovations and redecorating projects.
1. Get your timing right
Spring and summer are peak selling periods in most markets. Happily, they coincide with the times when most properties look their best. Late summer, when the school year starts, tends to be particularly slow, as do Christmas and the early New Year.
2. Light and bright
Having got potential purchasers through the door, now’s your chance to wow them with the inside. Keep decoration simple, using light, neutral colours to make your home appear more spacious. Touch up any chipped or scuffed paintwork.
Consider painting over patterned wallpaper. Your aim is to create a blank canvas against which people can imagine their own belongings. With a few cans of emulsion, you can achieve maximum effect for minimum expenditure.
3. Cut the clutter
Here again, your aim is to enable potential purchasers to visualise themselves living in the property. Less is more when it comes to ornaments, and steer clear of anything too individual. If people don’t share your taste, they may unconsciously be influenced against buying your home. Family photographs may distract, and are therefore best kept out of sight.
Charity shops are always glad of donations. If you can’t bear to part with some items altogether, ensure they are stored tidily in the loft, or check out one of the storage warehouses that are springing up around the country.
4. Dress to impress
Make it easy for prospective buyers to see the primary purpose and potential of each room. If a bedroom is a double, make sure it contains a double bed, not a single or, worse still, no bed at all. If you’ve converted a fourth bedroom into a study, market your property as a three-bedder or change the study back into a bedroom. If you’re selling through an estate agent, he or she can advise you on the option most attractive to your target purchaser.
Consider replacing worn or stained carpet. You don’t need to have an entire room recarpeted if only a small area is affected; patching can be very successful.
If you live in an older property, it may be worth reinstating period features, such as fireplaces, cornices and ceiling roses, which were swept away in the days when such things were unfashionable. Reclamation yards and antiques centres are good sources.
Subtle lighting is a must. Seasonal (for example, Christmas) decorations are fine, but keep them tasteful and don’t overdo them. Flowers are also fine, but avoid strong-smelling ones, such as lilies.
5. Think Safety
Check each room in your apartment for potential safety hazards before a prospective buyer visits. Make sure smoke alarms are in place and extension cords are out of sight. Remove any slippery throw rugs. Your dog or cat may be your best friend, but this is one time when he or she shouldn't be around. Before the prospect arrives, put your pets outside or secure them in a pet carrier. Animals have an uncanny ability of knowing when something's up. The last thing you want is for your pet to act up when a prospect is going through your unit. And don't forget, many people are allergic to pets.
6. Keep it clean
We know it’s obvious, but do make sure your home is sparkling clean from top to bottom. Not only will this make it more immediately attractive, but it will also reassure prospective buyers that it has been well maintained in other, more fundamental, respects.