Selling your home and moving to pastures new can be an exciting time, but you need things to go smoothly if you want to enjoy it. Thankfully, there are one or two things you can do to improve your chances of a stress-free property sale, and most of them are pretty simple to achieve.
The key thing is to act. It’s all well and good knowing all the jobs you need to do before putting your property on the market, but without taking action knowledge is worthless. In this post, we’ll tell you the top seven repairs and fixes which will help your property stand out and sell quickly. Then all you need to do is get them done!
Sound good? Let’s get to it!
Roofs
Let’s start at the top...literally. Missing slates, leaks, poor installation, lack of maintenance, all of these things will set off alarm bells for surveyors and could scupper your sale.
Bad roofs are bad news. So, if yours is in a state of disrepair, make it a priority to get it fixed before going to market. Find yourself a reputable roofer and make things right before you try and sell your home.
Gutters
While we’re up there, dodgy guttering is another job that should be attended to before you try and sell up. This may seem like a mammoth undertaking, but it can often be a simple case of clearing out old leaves.
If the job is more involved, it’s still worth your while getting it sorted. Poor guttering isn’t something a buyer will want to deal with when they first move in, so take care of it for them.
Windows
Lots of properties have uPVC windows these days, which means the old rotten frames are largely a thing of the past. However, if your home does still have wooden frames and they are looking a little worse for wear, a little TLC can go a long way.
Remove any rotting wood and fill with timber filler. Once dried, sand down the frames and paint. You’ll be amazed at the difference this one small job can make to the whole of your property’s kerb appeal.
Don’t ignore the panes either. Regardless of the type of frames you may have, dirty windows are an eyesore. Be sure to give your windows a thorough clean or get your local window cleaner to do the job for you.
Gardens
Our last external job is to take a look at the gardens. Front gardens are often neglected, and this can have a real negative impact on your prospective buyer’s first impression. Luckily, you don’t need to do anything overly fancy. Just tidy up, do a bit of weeding, and mow the lawn (should you have one). Again, these minor jobs increase your home’s kerb appeal, making viewers feel welcome as soon as they arrive.
Rear gardens are a little different, but no less important. A garden left to its own devices can be a daunting prospect for anyone moving in, especially if they’re not all that green-fingered themselves. Remove another headache by getting your garden tidied up and looking more presentable.
Carpets
Moving inside the home, carpets can be another item which may give your viewers the wrong kind of first impression. If your flooring is tattered, replace it. If it simply needs sprucing up, get it professionally cleaned. The difference this simple fix will make to your home is astonishing.
Decorative disrepair
There are several key decorative areas to get fixed if you are putting your home on the market. These are especially important if you want to get best price possible and sell your home quickly:
Wallpaper - Old and peeling wallpaper can signal neglect to a buyer, so make sure you address any rooms where this is an issue.
Tiling - Cracked tiles stand out like a sore thumb to anyone who is first entering your property, so replace them wherever you can.
Wall cracks - While hairline cracks aren’t usually a sign of any major underlying problems, they are unsightly. A quick fill and a lick of paint will help present your property better.
Skirting - Skirting boards can take a bit of a hammering, especially if you have kids. Fill any dents, chips or cracks and give them a coat of paint wherever necessary.
Doors - Loose handles, broken panels, and even small dents and dings can make a home look in poor condition. Fix these up and your property will look a whole lot better.
Clean
Once you’ve taking care of all the odd jobs around the home that’ll make your property more presentable, the final task is to give each room a thorough clean. Clean homes are simply more appealing than dirty ones, so don’t skip this step. Hire professional cleaners if you can’t face a top-to-bottom clean yourself, but make sure it’s done one way or another.
That’s it! Get these seven (or as many as you need) jobs done before putting your home on the market and you’ll be giving yourself the best chance of a stress-free sale. Should you need any advice about selling or renting your home in East London or West Essex, our friendly team of agents are ready to take your call.
Wanstead office – 020 8989 2091 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Buckhurst Hill office - 020 8504 5403 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
As Petty’s MD, John steers the ship. He is, however, first to admit that the team around him run the show, and he’s incredibly proud of each and every one of them. Sporty and studious, caring and loyal, John is a father of two wonderful children (and Cooper the dog).
020 3370 8784 / Email Directly