Written by a professional property trader, this guide will explain to you, step by step, the cheapest ‘hacks’ you can make on your home to secure a better offer and quicker sale.
These simple tips, which from 10 years experience, can be used to get £1,000’s more. By spending the time and a little money I’m sure you will see some great results in your quest to sell your home.
Well firstly, I’ve been buying and selling property for over 10 years professionally. I’ve been involved with 1,000’s of sales over the years nationwide. This has given me many chances to make huge mistakes…. I mean learning experiences 🙂 And has also given me time to refine the best ways to get the most cash out of each property.
Enough about me. Lets start with the first thing I do when looking to sell a property.
Homes are meant to be lived in which is why it’s almost impossible to be clear of all mess – especially if like me you have children! However, you’ll be amazed what a difference a day’s spring clean can make to a properties valuation & appeal!
For instance, just by moving all your kids clothing to their wardrobe compared to the pile they often leave on their bed, can transform a room!
The best way to approach this task is by taking some photos of your home. Imagine you’re an Estate Agent trying to get some good photos to show potential buyers. When you review these pictures you’ll soon realise how much difference a few hours tidying up can make on a properties appearance.
Top tips when approaching the property sale spring clean!
Estimated Cost: £0-£50
Estimated Result: £1,000+ higher offer!
There are many different types of damp but the most common is condensation produced by poor ventilation.
Before the days of double glazing and loft/cavity wall insulation – houses had natural air circulation ensuring a constant cycle of “fresh air”.
Unfortunately, whilst homes are now far more energy-efficient it has resulted in many properties suffering from poor air circulation – which in turn can cause serious damp issues.
This is the number one reason for cash offers being less than originally planned, often simply due to poor circulation or cold spots – which can be easily remedied!
If a surveyor or potential buyer feels there might be a damp problem they always side with caution and often value the property lower than necessary – because some forms of damp are expensive to fix.
A simple condensation problem can reduce your cash offer by up to £10,000!
Top damp and mould tips before the buyers viewing and valuation.
Estimated Cost: £0-£100
Estimated Result: £10,000+ higher offer!
The new Kitchen doors you started replacing, the half finished bathroom & the ‘man cave’ that became the storage room. Every house has a DIY fan and every house has a few “DIY gone wrong” stories.
However, those un-finished “projects” can effect the valuation – as the offer will allow for the improvements.
The surveyor or potential buyer might deduct what he feels it would cost to finish the works at market rate – not mates rates!
It could be a wall in need of plastering, sockets hanging or wallpaper peeling – If you leave it long enough you just get used to the rooms condition and don’t notice.
This can be a costly mistake because with just a little time & TLC you can get more for your home by finishing those projects – which were started with good intentions.
Remember whoever buys your property may live far away which means they will need to factor in higher labour/travel costs compared to you finishing the project before offers come in.
Top tips to finishing DIY projects before the buyer viewing & valuation
Estimated Cost: £0 – £5,000
Estimated Result: £5,000 – £15,000 higher offer!
Although you can’t change the size you can change the condition. The buyer and their surveyor will not be looking for an award winning garden, but make sure the grass is kept low and patio slabs are cleaned.
It goes hand in hand with showing the potential buyer or surveyor the property is well looked after and could get you a better cash offer.
If you have cats or dogs then ensure there’s no ‘mess’ left around the garden – whilst obvious it’s a simple issue often overlooked by homeowners. Whilst it’s doubtful to affect the valuation it can raise concerns over general property care & maintenance.
Top gardening tips before the valuation
Estimated Cost: £0-£200
Estimated Result: A faster sale
I hope you found this article useful and evident, that by spending just a few days of your time you could really end up with £1000’s more in your pocket!
If you have found this useful please share on social media or leave any questions or comments you have below – I’d love to hear your ideas too!
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Great article.
Simple advice but I have had an offer fall through because a buyer though the condensation in the bathroom was damp.
I’d also say making sure the drive is not full of cars can help with the image of the property before sale.
Thanks for the comment Sally. Yes good point on trying to keep the driveway clear. We used to park work vans, etc away from the house.