Posted on June 23, 2022
From physically tidying and finessing those final details to your home to ensuring you have all the correct paperwork in check, we’re sharing our best advice on how to prepare your home for sale and stand you in great stead with any buyer.
Prepare all of your paperwork
The more prepared you can be as a seller the better. Getting everything sorted on the admin side of things can help ensure a swift transaction once you have found a buyer.
Instruct your lawyers so they can get all the paperwork in order and obtain any necessary legal documents such as deeds. This will not only make the process quicker but will make you favourable to the buyer as you are 'ready to go’.
Ensure all paperwork relating to any building work such as planning permission sign off, building regulations sign-off, electrical certificates etc are all in order. This is essential and a real time saver when a sale is agreed. Take copies and ensure your solicitor has the originals.
If you require a mortgage for your ongoing move, ensure you have all the necessary documentation for your mortgage, such as payslips or tax returns to support your application.
Ensure your septic tank complies with the General Binding Regulations which came into effect in January 2020. Most will, it’s just ensuring you’re on top of this before it comes up during the legal process. Ideally you will have had it emptied within 12/18 months prior to a sale and have a receipt.
Make sure the boiler and oil tank has been serviced in the last 12 months and there is paperwork to support this. Likewise, chimney swept, Aga serviced. Anything which has been serviced will need a certificate and/or receipt.
We have built up a superb network of contacts who can help with all of the above and much more. As you can imagine, we go to great lengths to ensure that any property sale we look after goes as smoothly as planned and we strongly believe that our contacts are the best in their fields. Check out our directory for a list of recommended services in The Cotswolds but you can always reach out to us for advice or recommendations at office@sharvellproperty.com.
Practical preparations to make your home market ready
Tips for preparing your outdoor spaces
Contact your local builder's merchant to deliver a fresh layer of gravel for the drive. It’s a really simple, inexpensive way of giving your entranceway a facelift. Plus, keep parking spaces or driveways free when you have a viewing so potential buyers can park easily.
Ensuring lawns, border, hedges have all been tidied up can work wonders on those important first impressions. Make the most of the lovely weather and power washing your terraces and pathways to bring dull stonework back to life. Sparkling clean windows are also essential for allowing maximum daylight into your home and making your home feel well maintained.
As we move into the summer season, dressing your outdoor spaces is equally important - the trend for outdoor living space, with seating areas, clever outdoor rugs and firepits, is a popular 'wish list' item amongst prospective buyers - Garden Trading do lovely festoon lights that create a great feel for summer evening dining.
If you’re selling in winter, outdoor lighting is great for showing off the garden and make sure to pick up leaves if you’re holding viewings over the autumn period.
If you’d like to spruce up your garden for sale, check out our journal sharing our favourite gardening Instagram accounts who offer fabulous inspiration and tips for your garden!
Get your indoors picture and viewing ready
First impressions count
First impressions count and it’s worth having a good walk around your home as if you were viewing it for the first time to identify where improvements can be made, from interior choices to tidying up.
The entrance is the first thing a buyer sees, so really focus on making that impactful, great first impression. We covered in the section above about making sure your driveway and paths are clean and tidy, however it could be an opportunity to dress up your entryway or boot room. See our Boot Room Edit for some styling tips and ideas.
A fresh coat of paint will also give your home a real facelift, touch up any hairline plaster cracks and refresh those high traffic areas. Give your front door and windows some TLC too with a new coat of paint and a polish to ensure those first impressions are good ones. We love Little Greene paints for beautiful heritage hues, but you can check out more paint brands in our journal here.
Dressing a room
If you're dressing your home, ensuring all lights are working and that there are no bulbs missing is a good housekeeping job to tick off your list. Think about the bulb you are using. A warmer tone will help make a north-facing room feel more inviting, while adding a few side lamps will create a cosy ambience in dark corners.
We love the brands Pooky and SoSouk for stylish lampshades with a good variety of modern and heritage styles for you to choose from. If you’re looking to add a pop of colour to a room, definitely explore some more vibrant lampshade options. Test your lighting at all times of day as you never know when a viewing may be once your home is on the market!
The cherry on top to dressing a room is to add cosy elements. Seating areas can be made to look inviting with plumped cushions and blankets. Think about additional elements such as complementing curtains with the rest of your interiors as well as a stocked log basket by the fire so the buyer can imagine what life in the home could be like.
Declutter
Finally, we can never emphasise enough about decluttering. While homes should definitely feel lived in and not like a show home, decluttering helps give buyers a good sense of the space, see the beauty of the house and can generally make a home feel more welcoming.
Sort and clear out of all those lofts, cupboards and outbuildings so potential buyers aren’t focussed on ‘stuff’.. If there are children in the house then toys are fine but maybe keep it to one room, such as a playroom if possible. With three boys at home, we know it’s easier said than done but should give you a good idea of how to present each room.
If you have any further questions about preparing your home for sale, or want to know how we are pro-actively working with vendors right now, contact us at office@sharvellproperty.com