I’m looking at a new property to move to at the moment and although I’m not expecting everything to be perfect I am amazed at how dirty these properties are and we are not talking about cheap properties that the vendor just wants to get rid off, we are talking about the vendor needing top whack to move on.
My wife and I went to one the other day and the whole family where in (a family of 5) We were greeted by a dog barking at us and just the signs off not a well looked after property and I don’t mean just lack of maintenance I mean cleanliness. Mould was in every corner of the what should have been white walls but now were a tobacco stained yellow, dusty cobwebs and the smell of dog, on top of that I have heard of baking a loaf of bread for when perspective buyers visit to give them a sense of home, but they were boiling some sort of cabbage soup that honestly it did not give the same sense of home that nice fresh bread would.
Then on top of that they had marketed the property as a 4 bed but when they showed me the fourth room in the loft and that I practically had to climb a ladder to get into I was not happy and mentioned to the agent that no way this would have been passed by building control and as such cannot be marketed as a 4th bedroom.
Stepping over the rubbish and waste left in the garden I was then showed the half-finished block shed that looked a mess and the agent tried their best to sell it to me as a lovely unfinished project (good try).
After looking though the rest of the property where there were more areas of black mould and junk everywhere and because they had done a really bad job with converting the attic the stairs took a section out of 3 of the rooms and the rooms appeared small and pokey.
The house however had potential I could see passed the state of place because I see this sort of thing all the time but how many people could do that?
I felt like I wanted to go back and help the seller and advise them on how to get a property ready for selling.
I did feel for them they had a big family in a relatively small house and they were relying on getting the maximum amount for their property to move on.
Now Lets assume money was tight and with a family of 5 very easily could be the case, but giving the place a deep clean, doing away with all the junk, finishing the unfinished projects and a coat of white paint throughout costs next to nothing and I really think if they did that they would achieve the asking price.
So after my experience I have decided to write down some tips for getting a property sold and that is not going to cost you a lot of money. I am assuming we are not replacing things we are just tarting the place up.
TOP TIPS
Tip 1, Give the place a really good clean and keep on top of it
Tip 2, Remove all the junk, stuff that’s not used on a daily basis does not have to be on show. For this task its sometimes good to have a third party come in and help as they are not use to what’s been left out so they can question you on certain things.
Tip 3, Get the black mould sorted, usually a ventilation problem but it can also be to do with the structure. If you have been doing all the right things such as airing the property, having extractors on when showering etc, then get the mould of with a nice strong cleaner, once dry paint with a stain block, then paint with a anti mould paint or buy the anti mould solution to add to it.
Tip 4, My pet hate is going into the bathroom and you are welcomed by dirty tile grout and a mouldy seal around the bath. Rake the grout out by a 3mm and re-grout or go over it with a grout reviver and re-seal the bath. If you are no good at sealing use a sealing tape I would rather see that then a mouldy silicone sealant.
Tip 5. As mentioned earlier finish off those little jobs you have been meaning to do, such as finishing a bit of laminate flooring or some skirting or fixing that broken kitchen cupboard door. The problem is they are not big things to you as you have been living with them but people having a look around will pick all these things up.
Tip 6. A fresh coat of paint on the walls and wood work, you don’t have to do feature walls and different colours everywhere in fact a nice neutral colour is best if in doubt just white matt emulsion on the ceilings and walls. Give the wood work a little rub down and use a satin wood paint on them just to freshen it all up. The beauty of using the white on walls and ceilings is that you don’t have to be a pro with cutting in and I don’t care what you say £100 can buy you a shed load of white matt emulsion. £50 for some satin wood, £10 for a set of brushes and then it’s just your time and believe me it will sell quick just by doing this small thing.
Tip 7, Don’t be around when the agent is showing your place off it makes people uncomfortable
Tip, 8 if you are around don’t cook horrible smelly stuff.
Tip 9, if you’re a smoker DO NOT SMOKE INSIDE this will quite literally put people of buying.
Tip 10, If you do have problems with the property such as roof leaks or structural problems, don’t just cover them up and hope people don’t notice. I always recommend getting the cause of the problem solved not just what the problem causes. It can be pricey to solve but if it was highlighted in a survey the buyer will expect money off so either get it sorted or bring it up at the start of the negotiations so it can be factored into the price at an early stage.
Tip 11, If you have been cooking or have pets, spend a few quid on some air fresheners, the ones that plug in getting something nice but not to strong.
Just because you can’t smell it doesn’t mean other people won’t.
Tip 12, If the carpets are looking tired spend some money and get them professional cleaned it makes the house look a lot fresher and cleaner.
Tip13, Don’t leave all your pots and pans out/dirty washing for all to see.
Tip 14, If keeping on top of things is a real problem and you have a large family etc so keeping it clean is impossible, ask the agent to arrange an open day or have all the viewings booked in on the same day, then you only have to really get on top of everything leading up to that day then you can relax after.
Tip 15, Make sure windows and gutters are clean and clear from debris, hot soapy water can do marvels, or better yet look at my rated products page for window and plastic cleaning solvents.
Tip 16, Make sure entrance and exist are clear so the buyer isn’t struggling to manoeuvre about the place.
Tip 17, Get all the weeds up and any plants planted and garden trimmed ready so people don’t have to imagine they can see the potential.
Tip 18, Make sure curtains are drawn and windows on vent to maximise the natural light and fresh air.
Tip 19, If you have a room that is not used still dress it with a bed and bedroom furniture, even if you just borrow someone’s spare. It easily highlights what the room can fit.
Tip 20, Don’t just chuck everything in a cupboard chances are that cupboard will be opened and the potential purchasers will just see what a mess it is.
I hope these 20 tips help and if you have any questions or want more tips please leave a comment.