Preparing your home for sale during the winter months

Well-presented properties usually generate more interest, and more viewings and it follows that they will probably generate a higher price. To get off to a great start selling your property, here are some top tips from our residential team from around the country to ensure your property is ready for sale:

Declutter – but don't depersonalise

Partner, Michael Harris leads the property agency team in Chester. He suggested decluttering and getting rid of any items that you have accumulated. He said: “Put them in storage, sell them, give them away or recycle them and consider removing any bulky furniture that makes the room feel small and replacing it with smaller furniture. People need to be able to envisage what the property would look like if they were living there. People often find this difficult, so make it easy for them to see all the fantastic living space you're offering them.”

A fresh lick of paint

Associate Partner, Tom Dennes from our Banbury office co-ordinates the sale of quality cottages and houses across Warwickshire, Oxfordshire and Gloucestershire. He recommends giving your property a fresh lick of paint. He said: “Giving your walls a fresh lick of neutral paint will make your home seem lighter and bigger. It will enable the viewers to more easily imagine how they would adapt the rooms to their needs. It will be easier for the buyers to move in and use the rooms immediately than if the walls were still bright purple or lime green.”

Maximise kerb appeal

Partner, Ben Longstaff from our Ashby de la Zouch office handles the sales of rural, residential and agricultural property. This includes everything from rural estates, country houses, farms and land sales, to village and rural houses. His tip was to maximise kerb appeal. Ben said: “Kerb appeal creates a lasting first impression – most buyers make up their minds in the first few minutes of arriving at a property. The most important features of kerb appeal are well-maintained windows and a roof that appeared in good condition as well as a well-maintained front garden, pathways and fences and a well-painted frontage.”

Fix and clean

Partner, Christian Sanders from our Worcester office heads up Agency in the West Midlands region where he coordinates sales and auctions Worcestershire, Herefordshire and into neighbouring counties. Christian recommends ensuring your home is all fixed and clean. He said: “Make sure any minor repairs including holes in walls, broken doorknobs, cracked tiles, torn or threadbare carpets are taken care off. Many buyers want to be able to move in without making changes, so you need to allow for this.

“Make sure everything is cleaned until it sparkles. Get rid of limescale, clean and repair tile grout, wax wooden floors, get rid of odours, and hang up fresh towels. This will make the place more appealing and allow viewers to imagine living there.

Remember to tidy the garden: cut bushes back, clean the patio and furniture and cut the grass. While this doesn't add much value to your home, it makes it more likely to sell as people visualise themselves using the garden.”

Update the kitchen

Matthew Davis from our Thame office has been in the industry for over twenty years giving him expert knowledge of residential sales. He said: “The kitchen is the most valuable room in a house. It is worth the most per square foot and can make the difference when buyers are unsure. It may be worth updating it if you can but if you can’t make sure you declutter the surfaces and just leave a bowl of fruit out and remove any bulky appliances that you aren't using to open up the space.”

Light and airy

Head of residential sales, Daniel Hayhurst from our Knutsford office suggests keeping your home light and airy. He said: “If you plan to sell during the winter months or have viewings on dark winter days, make sure you open blinds and curtains and let natural light stream in wherever possible. If the house still feels dark, make the most of it and use the season to your advantage and create a homely welcoming space with some cleverly placed lighting, try using side or table lamps rather than the harsher overhead lighting to embrace the cosy feel. Light some candles or even fairy lights can help set the scene and create an inviting feel for the potential buyers. Bright rooms always appear more spacious than dim and dark ones.

“Wall mirrors can also make a room look much bigger and lighter. Consider putting some up, especially in smaller rooms or hallways. Clean windows inside and out and replace any broken light bulbs. Making the place feel light and airy will make the property more attractive.”

Light a fire

Toby Harris from our Banbury office has over 20 years’ experience in the property market suggests lighting your fire. He said: “If it's a cold evening, or even a chilly day, light your fire. This will make your home feel warm and inviting.”

Make it look pretty

Sales Manager, Joy Brankin-Frisby from our Market Harborough office suggests making sure your home is properly dressed. She said: “Make sure the windows are properly dressed with blinds or curtains as naked windows make a place feel impersonal and run down so buy some cheap ones if necessary. Don't forget to add some plants and flowers as they bring colour, life and light to a room and smell wonderful.”

Get the right smells

Jo McElevey from our Worcester office said: “Bad smells are the single biggest turn-off for prospective buyers. Don't just cover them up, fix the source of the smell. Clear drains, wash bins, open windows, air the kitchen from old cooking smells and get rid of anything that is embedded with cigarette smoke.

“If you are a smoker, place bowls of vinegar around the house and leave them out for three days. Though the vinegar will smell when you open the windows it will disappear quickly taking most of the stale cigarette smell out with it. Conversely, good smells can make a property feel like an alluring home. While it might be impractical to bake fresh bread, cakes or brownies for every viewer that visits your home, you could perhaps brew some fresh coffee.”

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