5 things you need to do before putting your house on the market

With the arrival of Spring giving a fillip to the housing market, many of us will be thinking about a move and wanting our house to look as good as possible.

Preparing your home for sale is about far more than fresh flowers and ensuring there's a loaf of bread baking in the oven; it takes thought, time and a bit of design flair to create a look that is a magnet to potential buyers.

Here is Homes & Gardens' list of five ways to make your home irresistible to buyers.

1. Declutter

It is hard to emphasise how important this is; rooms that
aren't piled high with papers, decorative objects, toys and clothes look
bigger and more stylish. If storage is a problem, rent a lock up unit
at a self storage facility such as Big Yellow
where you can banish extraneous furniture, clothes etc. Rearrange what's
left to look smart and stylish.

2. Clean

Any room looks better when it is clean. But this job is about much more
than just dusting; shampoo carpets, polish windows, hunt down cob webs,
wipe the tops of picture rails, empty cupboards. A clean house, doesn't
just look better it smells fresher too.

3. Fix & Patch

Fix & patch chipped paintwork, wobbling light switches and creaking
floorboards all create an impression of an unloved house; sorting them
out won't require much time.

4. Monitor the temperature

Make sure that temperature is
neither too cold, nor too stuffy. If possible, completely air the
property couple of hours before a viewing and then set to an ideal
temperature.

5. Don't forget the garden

Whatever the season, it is
important that the garden looks tidy, front as well as back. In the same
way that the inside of the house should be decluttered, so should the
garden.

For more expert advice, have a look at HousetoHome's tips for boosting your kerb appeal.

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