Top Tips To Make Your Home More Attractive To Buyers

It’s no secret that buying and selling houses can be stressful. Most of us have a story to tell when it comes to searching for a dream home or trying to secure a swift sale. If you are preparing to put your house or flat on the market, it’s a great idea to try to make the property as appealing to prospective buyers as possible. Here are some top tips to help you impress buyers and reduce stress levels. 

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Enhancing kerb appeal

Many of us are influenced by visual aesthetics and we want to find a home that we like the look of. A 2019 survey revealed that 68% of buyers consider kerb appeal an important factor when searching for a new property. As a seller, there are several steps you can take to try and make your home more appealing to potential buyers. 

If you’re thinking about putting your property up for sale, it’s an excellent idea to take a walk in a buyer’s shoes. Pull up outside and take a walk around. Note down anything you notice that could put buyers off and write a list of jobs to tackle before the house goes up for sale. Common flaws include chipped and worn paintwork, cluttered driveways, untidy gardens and overgrown grass and weeds. Sprucing up the outside of the house is an excellent way to make a positive first impression if you have viewings booked. It can also persuade buyers to organise a viewing if you are advertising online. If your house looks beautiful in the listings, people will be more inclined to contact the agent and find out more. 

The most effective ways to enhance kerb appeal include tidying up the front garden and mowing long grass, removing bins from the driveway, clearing up leaves and other debris, painting windows and doors and replacing damaged or drab front doors. You can also add a new name plaque or numbers and adorn porches and windows with plants and flowers to make the house look loved and distinguish it from others. 

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Tackling turn-offs

It is rare to look around a house and think that everything is perfect, but some features or defects are more damaging than others. There are certain red flags that buyers look for. If you can tackle major turn-offs before the for sale sign goes up, you’ll increase your chances of attracting offers and you could also add value. Issues to be wary of include problems with the roof, damp patches and a musty odour, cluttered kitchens and living spaces, dated bathroom suites and half-baked DIY jobs. Go around your house and note down all the jobs that need doing. You could do the work yourself or hire professionals to save time. You’ll need to contact local companies for more complex jobs, such as roof repairs and plumbing issues. 

Creating an attractive garden

Gardens are more in-demand than ever. The pandemic has driven a surge in the demand for properties with outdoor space. An attractive garden can boost the value of a house and make it more saleable. If you have a garden, no matter how big or small, it’s an excellent idea to make it a focal point. Some people will be swayed by a garden, even if they don’t fall head over heels for the house.

If your garden needs some TLC, or you’re looking for inspiration for simple, affordable ways to create a beautiful, functional outdoor space, it’s a fantastic idea to focus on basic maintenance and tidying, planting and adding accessories. Start by tidying up pathways and patios, clearing leaves and rubbish and mowing your lawn. Trim the edges of the lawn, remove weeds from flower beds and containers and planters and repair or replace broken paving stones or fence panels. 

Once your garden is tidy, you can add interest and make the space more welcoming using accessories and furniture. Creating a seating area is a brilliant way to make buyers think about how they could enjoy the garden if they bought the property and encourage them to imagine themselves in your home. When choosing patio furniture, measure the space and think about the aesthetic and vibe you want to create. You can choose from formal dining sets, rustic, laid-back lounging options or chic, contemporary outdoor couches, for example. Finish the look with cushions, table decorations, blankets and throws, lighting and an outdoor rug. 

Another excellent idea to make your outdoor space more vibrant and appealing to buyers is to add plants and flowers. You can create new beds or fill existing beds with flowers or scatter planters around patios, terraces and decks. You could also get creative with living walls or use plant stands or shelves to create a statement feature. 

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Maximising natural light

If you’ve ever watched TV shows where estate agents look around houses or show buyers around homes, you’re probably aware of the importance of natural light. Many buyers are eager to buy houses that are light and bright. Natural light makes rooms feel larger and more spacious. Open curtains wide and take photographs for listings and brochures on light, sunny days. Stick to light tones and colours for the walls, choose light flooring and bounce light around the room with mirrors. It’s also wise to declutter and keep surfaces clear to make living spaces look bigger. Dark walls and flooring and clutter can make rooms seem small and cramped. 

Neutral decor

In some cases, houses will sell quickly because they have bold or quirky interior designs, but most buyers gravitate towards neutral decor. Many of us like to inherit a blank canvas, which enables us to move straight in and put our own stamp on our new homes. If you have painted walls, or your living room is covered in patterned wallpaper, for example, you may want to think about painting before your house goes up for sale. Light, neutral colours appeal to a wider range of buyers and they can also make your rooms appear larger and brighter. You can add colour with accessories, such as lamps, soft furnishings, plants, vases, wall art and storage jars and pots. 

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Home working spaces

More and more of us are working from home. Working from home was becoming more popular before the pandemic, but Covid-19 has undoubtedly accelerated the shift towards flexible working. Some people will work from home permanently, while others may switch to a hybrid model, which involves spending some days in the workplace and others at home. Creating a space for home working is an excellent way to make your property stand out and highlight its versatility and functionality. There are several options to explore, including converting spare bedrooms into offices, setting up a study area underneath the stairs, converting an attic or basement or adding a garden room or a summer house outside. If you don’t want to lose a bedroom, you can use versatile furniture to design a more practical space that doubles up as an office, for example, swapping a double bed for a day bed or a sofa bed and using the extra space for a desk and chair. 

Sprucing up the kitchen and bathroom

For most buyers, the kitchen is the top priority. A fabulous kitchen can persuade people to buy one property over another and enhance value. If your kitchen is not the star attraction, there are ways to make it more appealing that don’t involve spending a fortune or embarking upon a full-scale renovation project. Simple steps, such as painting the walls and units, adding accessories and changing the layout can have an incredible impact. Opt for light colours if your kitchen is small and use storage to remove clutter. Add plants to create a fresh, vibrant feel and inject colour with appliances and finishing touches like vases, storage pots and tea towels and tablecloths. 

The bathroom is another important room for prospective buyers. Most people may be happy to take on jobs like painting the walls, but doing jobs like this before your home goes on the market can boost the value and get more buyers through the door. Painting and tiling can transform the aesthetic of the room. It’s also an excellent idea to buy new accessories, such as plant pots, storage pots for toothbrushes and loo brushes and towel rails and to invest in storage to keep bottles and boxes hidden. If you are short on floor space, you can hang shelves or fit wall-mounted units. 

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Selling your home can be stressful, especially if it takes a long time to find buyers. If you are thinking about putting your home on the market, and you want to maximise your chances of a quick sale, it’s an excellent idea to prepare in advance. Try to make your home as appealing as possible before you put the for sale sign up. Add kerb appeal, make the most of the garden, maximise natural light, opt for neutral decor and spruce up the kitchen and bathrooms. Address issues that might put buyers off and think about how you would feel if you were viewing the property for the first time.