GETTING READY TO MOVE

With the property market showing some signs of re-opening, now is the time to get ready to make sure you’re prepared for selling your home, and moving on.

Over the past few weeks, house viewings have not been possible. But don’t worry – your estate agent will have been taking registrations of interest from people wanting to view your home, and should have a list of buyers ready to book an appointment as soon as they are able to.

So let’s make sure your home is viewing-ready!

Use our room-by-room ‘Preparing to Sell Checklist’ to make sure your whole house looks fresh and attractive to entice a viewer to make an offer. Just email us on katie@sawdyeandharris.co.uk to get your copy today.

Let’s look at the elements that make up your property marketing, to make sure each one is showcasing your home at its very best.

Photographs

Do your outside photographs need updating? The seasons have changed during lockdown and now your existing photographs may not reflect the current time. If your photographs are looking a little wintery, ask your agent if these can be re-taken. With the lovely weather we have had recently, your garden may now be blooming and much more colourful. Your images need to really show off your garden to attract viewers, so they probably need updating now.

Step inside

If you have been cooped up at home over the past couple of months, your presentation may not be at its usual standard! Go through your home checking each room to make sure it matches your agent’s photographs. A spring clean will make your home fresh and fragrant once again, so viewers can see it at its best. Check soft furnishings and carpets to make sure they are spotless, and give your windows a clean to make them sparkle.

Tame your garden

If the spring weather has caused your garden to become a little out of hand, now is the time to tame it. Your lawn needs to be freshly mown, and the edges neat. Your flower beds free of weeds so your plants and flowers can stand out and any children’s outdoor toys washed and tidied. If your patio furniture is looking past its best and you don’t want to replace it, give it a good scrub; if it’s wood, paint, varnish or stain it, so it looks smart and viewing-ready. Add a flowerpot to the centre of the table for a touch of lifestyle polish.

Patios, decks and paths may need a power wash, or just a good brush, to show them at their best. If you have gravel areas, try adding new gravel to freshen them up, or raking over the existing gravel and taking out any leaves and debris.

Shrubs may need cutting back or neatening, and rogue shoots over paths should be removed. Hedges too may need trimming.

Getting clicks online

With several property websites all vying for attention from millions of buyers, your online advert needs to really stand out. These are five key areas that can help make sure your advert gets the click:

1. The headline and summary paragraph need to be strong, informative and emotive in order to entice a browser to click to find out more about your home.

2. Bullet points – these need to showcase the key features of your home, make them sit up in their chair and give them a reason to view. For example, ‘Downstairs WC’ – is not so much of a wow factor. ‘Panoramic vistas’ – better. But ‘Romantic, rose-filled garden’ will stop a browser and make them read on.

3. Photographs – these need to be compelling, attractive and up to date. As a rule, up to 15 images is plenty. Any more and you may find you don’t get viewings, as buyers feel that they’ve seen the whole house. Save something for the actual viewing, and leave a reader wanting more.

4. Flow of images – do your photographs flow in the same way as a viewing would naturally do? Starting with a front photograph, followed by a hallway, and then the living room, makes a buyer feel that they can visualise your home.

5. Property description – this needs to be compelling and visual, telling the story of your home. You don’t need a whole essay here – Just a few paragraphs should be enough to compel a browser to want to find out more, and pick up the phone.

Buyers getting mortgages

Whilst there was a period of time at the beginning of lockdown when mortgages became difficult to obtain, this situation has, in the main, been rectified. And with mortgage rates the lowest they have ever been in history, many buyers needing mortgages may feel that now is an opportune time to move house.

Family buyers looking to ‘upsize’

Some families have spent many weeks cooped up in a house that is just too small for their needs. What they may be dreaming of now, is a house with more reception space, a large kitchen, extra bedrooms, and of course, a generous work-from-home space. And gardens too have recently become a priority for many families. Those without any lawn space may now crave it, and even families with average sized gardens may be aspiring to rolling lawns, orchards, tree houses and space to build dens. If your home offers a family space that will appeal to anyone who has just spent weeks feeling squeezed and even suffocated, it will probably be in demand from family buyers right now.

Your onward move

If you have found your dream home, and it’s still available, your focus will be on selling your home as soon as you can. By using our handy checklist, you’ll feel confident you have given yourself the best possible chance to sell and move on.

If you have not yet found the house you want to move to, you may find that there are less houses to choose from. We feel that this will only be a temporary situation, as the backlog of homes that have been waiting to come to the market will now launch, and the demand/supply balance is restored. Having a firm offer on your home from a proceedable buyer will give you the buying power you need once the house you really want becomes available, and you need to take quick action.

No interest? Time to go back to the drawing board

Are buyers flocking to view your home when they are able to? If not, why not? If you’ve addressed all the ‘saleability’ factors listed above, and you’ve used our Preparing to Sell Checklist to make sure your home is viewing ready, then perhaps it’s time to reassess your choice of estate agent.

Sometimes, a fresh approach from a new set of eyes will find new marketing angles, and reach a different group of buyers. Let’s face it, you only need one buyer and a new estate agent could be the key to finding them.

As an initial step, we’d like to invite you to have a chat with us – we may be able to uncover the reasons you’re not getting the interest in your home that it deserves, just by looking at your online advert. From there, the rest is up to you.

So you don’t miss something that may be the difference between a no and an offer, we’ve created Our ‘Preparing to Sell Checklist’, which is specifically designed to ensure each and every critical aspect of preparing to kickstart your home sale out of lockdown is covered.

Email me now on katie@sawdyeandharris.co.uk with the subject ‘CHECKLIST for your own copy.

Getting your home, your family and yourself, prepared and ready to sell will give you the best possible chance to move on as soon as you can. We’d love to help you make your home moving dreams a reality, so if you have any questions not covered in this blog, please email me on katie@sawdyeandharris.co.uk or call us on 01364 652652 and let’s get you moving.

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW RIGHT NOW

Are you buying or selling a home right now? Or planning to? Feeling concerned and anxious about what’s going to happen with the housing market over the coming months?Maybe you’re feeling uncertain about what you should be doing and wondering what you can do to mitigate any risk to your financial security.

We are living in unreal times. In this article, I’ll explore what this uncertainty means for you and your family, and explain exactly what you can do to best position yourselves when the housing market returns to normal. Whether you’re selling, buying, or just want some guidance on what the next few months might mean for the property market in our area, this article will help.

“What should I do if I am selling?”

Viewings on hold – now that property viewings have been suspended, you may be worried about what this means for your moving plans. When people are uncertain of their immediate future, they are reluctant to make decisions and do anything to change their current status quo. Don’t worry – the buyers who are really keen, will contact your agent and leave their details, so when this situation ends, you may have viewings straight away. Just check with your estate agent that interested parties’ contact details are being recorded.

Online interest – with everyone at home right now, you may get a spike of browsers looking at your property online. Most browsers turn into buyers eventually, and this should mean the property market gets a bounce in a few months, so you need to be ready. Now that the Government have slashed the borrowing rate to the lowest in its 325-year history, some buyers may feel there’s never been a better time to buy a house.

Cheeky offers – we’ve certainly had some very low offers on some of our homes from buyers wanting to cash in on this uncertainty. If you really need to move now, and just can’t wait, you may be tempted to take a low offer, but if you can wait, you’ll undoubtedly get a better price for your home down the line.

Withdrawing from the market – in my opinion, there is currently no real benefit to taking your home off the market right now, so stick with it, but review the situation frequently with your estate agent. We’re currently talking to our clients often to make sure they feel supported in whatever decision they make, and also to ensure they are ready for a potential influx of viewers when the situation returns to normal, and we can start conducting viewings again.

“What should I do if I am buying?”

Lower competition – now there are less homes on the market, and fewer buyers around to buy them – could this be the perfect time to buy your dream home?

Potentially lower house prices – those sellers who can afford to wait to sell their homes, will do so, relaunching once things are back to normal. However, there are some homeowners who have no choice but to sell and move house in the next couple of months, and these properties could well be discounted to attract a buyer quickly. You could find yourself buying at a reduced price if you are able to move fast, despite the current situation. This could especially be of interest to investors right now, and also cash buyers.

Record low interest rates – great news for buyers using a mortgage to buy a home, now could be your best chance to secure a great deal on a mortgage, potentially saving yourself tens of thousands of pounds over the duration of the mortgage.

Virtual viewings – although all viewings have been postponed, we offer an alternative method – a virtual viewing! A myriad of technological marvels mean we can virtually walk you around homes, while you stay comfy and warm on your sofa. Once you are able to view the house in person, you can view a much-reduced shortlist of your very favourite homes.

“What will happen to the property market over the coming months?”

We have 25 million homes in the UK, and each year on average, 1.2 million of them sell.

In other words, just under 5% of homes in the UK sell every year.

In the areas that we operate and the towns we cover, that means there are usually around 225 property sales each year – or just over 4 a week.

This means that when this crazy time is over, and things are getting back to normal, there will potentially be hundreds of homes that come onto the market, that would otherwise have launched during this ‘pause’ period.

This will help you to move on. More homes on the market, means more choice for you and your family and more potential buyers for your home.

If I look into my crystal ball, by June we will have some sense of normality, with the economy running at 30-40%. By July and into August, I expect the country to bounce back and begin to spend. As certainty improves, so does market momentum. I think there will be a big resurgence of demand, and buyers wanting to move by Christmas, at the latest.

“What if I have already agreed to buy a house?”

If you are in the middle of buying a house, congratulations! We recommend you proceed as planned, but maybe check to see if you can get better mortgage terms than perhaps you were previously offered. Remember that house prices rise and fall periodically, which means that if you’re planning to stay in the property for more than say, a year, any risk is limited.

“We’re thinking about moving soon – what should we do?”

Timing is always important when it comes to selling your home for the best price, but over the coming months, it’s going to be crucial. If you put your home on the market too soon, before the situation has been resolved, any uncertainty and practical problems with conducting viewings will mean you are unlikely to get the price you need for your home.

But if you wait too long to put your home up for sale, you may find that the housing market is full of competing properties. This means you could miss out on the inevitable bounce-back in the housing market. This is something we experienced in the early months of this year, once Brexit was passed – there were more buyers than houses, and some of our sellers were delighted with the prices they achieved.

The right time is difficult to predict. But having a plan is vital if you want to hit the market at precisely the right time to benefit from the bounce-back, when it happens.

In a few weeks, when the situation is safe again, Mr Johnson and Co will allow us to continue doing what we do best – selling homes. We may only get a few days’ notice, so we all need to be able to react quickly and decisively. We’ll be ready, and we can help you to be ready too.

Can I help you?

Perhaps you have a burning question about your moving plans, or you need more clarity on any of the above points – whatever it is, I’m here to help at any time.

Email me personally on katie@sawdyeandharris.co.uk or call me on 01364 652652 if you’d like a confidential chat. Whilst I’m working from home over the coming weeks, you can reach me on my mobile – 07768 065532. Just send a text if it’s easier for you and we’ll arrange a time to chat. If you’re home schooling right now, evenings might be better for you, so just ask!

I’ll give you clear, actionable advice on what to do in your specific situation – whether waiting or taking action is the best option for you. Please ask – I’d really like to help you, if I can.

Katie Griffin

You wouldn’t set off on a road trip without a map. So why start the next stage of your life’s journey without the homebuyer’s equivalent?

LET'S TALK FLOORPLANS!

It’s no secret that floorplans have long been one of the key ‘must-have’ aspects for those searching for a new home.  A Rightmove study even concluded that more than a third of buyers would be turned off making further enquiries into a property if a floorplan was not available.

Turns out, photos are fabulous, descriptions are desirable…but floorplans are favoured: fact.

Speaking of facts, it is the accurate picture painted by a good floorplan that really sells. Let’s break it down a little further to understand just how it is floorplans can help sell your home.

1 - Get the measure of the property

First and foremost, when it comes to floorplans, potential buyers are looking for room dimensions. Don’t make the mistake of including the measurements in the description, where they can so easily be overlooked or skimmed over. Included on the floorplan itself, the measurements make sense and can be seen in clear context.

Whereas photographs often show the current owner’s possessions and fixtures, a floorplan presents the property as a blank canvas, allowing potential buyers to ‘mentally move’ their own furniture in.  After all, who doesn’t want to ‘size up’ their new home?

2. Visual flow

With around 65% of the population reputed to be visual learners, it’s no surprise that floorplans are one of the most sought-after elements of a ‘property pack’.  One home seeker we spoke to commented that they liked to use the floor plan to piece together missing elements from the photography.

He stated: “Not all rooms get photographed. Having a floorplan allows me to build a clearer picture in my head and take a virtual tour around the home.”

3. A rose by any other name

Such a simple addition to a floorplan, yet so easily forgotten! A compass rose (also known as a wind rose) is a must for any self-respecting floorplan.  A compass rose is used for orientation, displaying the cardinal directions (north, south, east and west) and their alignment in reference to the home.  Quite simply put, this is essential for buyers eager for a south-facing garden for that summer evening gin and tonic on the patio.

4. Overall square footage

Floorplans are factual. For the nothing-but-the-facts viewer, they want to know one thing: what’s the overall square footage?  Displaying the overall square footage of your property makes it easy for home buyers to compare homes and discern how suitable your home will be.  Modern homes are clever. A four-bedroom home of the ‘now’ can often occupy the same footprint as a three-bedroom home from the ‘back then’. Having the overall square footage to hand is a great device for showing off the potential of your home.

5. Master of illusion

One thing we can all agree on is that size matters. Floorplans can make homes seem larger. On paper, even the messiest most clutter-filled of homes can present a tidy, spacious appearance. That dingy box room, piled high with memorabilia, its window so darkened by piles of washing and old board games, that the photographer cringed away from it like a reverse-vampire? Its slate is wiped clean by the empty square of potential on the floorplan.  Whilst in most cases, floorplans help to support the photographer’s imagery and add an extra dimension of reality, floorplans can also help to correct any flaws in photography.

In awkwardly-shaped rooms where photographers may struggle to fully capture the available space, a visual representation with measurements could help save the day.

6. Colour coded for clarity

After a successful viewing, potential buyers can often leave your home buoyant and elated, giddily discussing how they will make their mark on their ‘new home’. However, as time passes, memories fade. Doubt can set in and the bubble can deflate. With a floorplan in front of them, your viewer can keep their plans firmly in their mind’s eye. A handy reminder of how they always wanted a ‘reading room’, or how the potential to create a master suite would be so simple with the removal of one stud wall.

To create an unforgettable floorplan, use colour coding to help buyers understand the balance of spaces. For practical rooms, like the bathroom, kitchen, utility and cloakroom, consider rendering with tiling. Use warm or soothing colours for bedrooms and earthy tones for living areas.

7. The full professional package

In a world of VIP lounges and boutique agencies, a floorplan is an essential in order to offer the full package.  The absence of a floorplan can seem like a cut corner and can leave home-hunters frustrated and feeling left in the dark.  Providing as much information as possible presents both the seller and agent acting on their behalf in a professional light.

8. Bonus rooms

For the most magnificent homes, going on the market for the highest prices, floorplans are an absolute must. Such grand and extensive homes have a niche market and it is vital that they justify their top price tag at a glance. Homes commanding premier prices often come replete with extensive outbuildings, manège, annexes and cellars. Kennels and stables, functional as they are, may not be the most photogenic of places, but a floor plan documenting their existence can add kudos and win viewers.

9. Time saver

Lastly, but crucially, a floorplan is a timesaver – for both viewers and sellers.  Being open and upfront about exactly what your home comprises can save both sets of individuals time, money and potential heartache in the long run.  If a home hunter can see that your property isn’t going to work for them from the outset, it’s better to know now than suffer the wasted hours of a fruitless viewing.

Instead, save your time, energy and excitement for that perfect viewer for whom your home is destined to be ‘just right’.

If you’d like to learn more about how we create our unique floorplans and how we can help you maximise your home’s potential, we’d love to hear from you and help get you moving. Call us for a chat on 01364 652652, drop by and see us at any of our high street offices or send me an email at katie@sawdyeandharris.co.uk.

After a winter of short, dark days sitting on the sofa working their way through the bottomless tub of Christmas ‘Celebrations’, home-hunters are hungry for a change.  Spring is on the horizon, the most salient time of year for house sales. With this in mind, we have put together a selection of nine tips to get you moving this springtime

1 - Clear out Christmas clutter

Christmas is over, it’s time to move with the seasons and remove any last trace of festivity from the home.  That includes the spiced cranberry scented candle in pride of place in the entrance hall.  Any unwanted Christmas gifts craftily piled up by the door in the spare room, donate to charity whilst still within their ‘best-before’ period. You know that pretty packet of bath bombs shaped like cupcakes will only accumulate dust and don’t even get me started on the jar of wild boar pate that Auntie Beryl bought you even though she knows you’re a lifelong vegetarian!

Bookcase overflowing? OK, not necessarily Christmas specific but our bookshelves can be natural accumulators of detritus so check them for Christmas cracker toys and whilst there, do a cull of hardbacks that you can bear to part with. Hospitals and charities in the UK and abroad will be most grateful…and your home will have space to breathe again.

2 - Deep clean

They don’t call it a spring clean for nothing! Whilst regular cleaning includes a hoover and mop of the floors, scrub of the bathtub and wipe down of the kitchen sides…a spring clean tackles ‘what lies beneath’.  Depending on how ‘deep’ you wish to delve, the possibilities are fathomless, so %company_name% have focussed on the essentials.

Clear out the cupboard beneath the sink. Viewers want to see everywhere, and half empty bottles of window cleaner and mouldy sponges can be rather off putting. Fatty residues lurking in the sink overflow should also be dealt with.

Whilst the focus is often on the glazing itself, don’t neglect to thoroughly wipe down frames and handles of patio doors and windows. The same goes for switches and sockets.

If you are considering leaving appliances as part of the sale, be sure to scrub away the deep grime that can build up behind washing machines and ovens.

In terms of the oven, if you’re blessed with a wipe-down induction hob or a pyrolytic oven, feel free to jump to tip 3. For the rest of us mere mortals, it’s time to don the Marigolds, dig out the Oven Brite and flex those elbows!

3 - From rugs to riches

After a winter tolerating muddy boots, mince pies and more, your carpets are ready for some TLC.  A thorough hoover is mandatory, paying special attention to the oft-neglected skirtings. This is especially important for pet owners as skirtings can act as a magnet for animal hair.   Take it to the next level by spraying foamy cleaner on any areas that may have taken a hard hit, before working it in with a hard-bristled brush and hoovering over once dry (check individual instructions).

4 - Scale and polish

Kitchens and bathrooms suffer the heaviest usage throughout the year, so these are the main rooms to focus your spring clean on. When it comes to limescale, we say ‘fight citrus with citrus’  Halve an old lemon and create a hollow in the centre of the fruit. Then push the same side up into the tip of the faucet and swivel it about until it feels secure and leave it for an hour or two before gently brushing off any remains with a toothbrush.

If this method proves too slippery, a white vinegar and water spray solution also works well. Cleaning a shower head? Keep a needle handy to clear the jet holes.

5 - Maximise kerb appeal

Nothing beats the influx of colour that comes with springtime. Take advantage of the glowing tones of nature to maximise your home’s curb appeal.  Any remaining leaf decay or straggly vines should be raked and trimmed. As soon as your boot stops leaving imprints in the lawn, lift the blades on the mower to their highest setting and give your grass its first haircut of the year.

 Top tip: Mowing in a diagonal pattern can help make even the most diminutive of gardens seem larger.

6 - Mellow yellow

Synonymous with chicks, daffodils and sunshine, yellow is the herald of springtime. The brightest of the primary colours, yellow also has a psychological role to play when selling your home.  Symbolically associated with light, cheer, enthusiasm, warmth, happiness and energy, this is definitely a colour you want to feature in your home this springtime.

Try not to overplay it, but a vase of daffodils in the hallway, a planter of tulips by the front door and even freshening up a gloomy room with a yellow cushion or throw will give you the psychological edge when it comes to viewings.

7 - Shine like a star

If it can capture a reflection, let it shine! Light sells, so be sure to maximise the gleam in every reflective surface of your home in the early spring sunshine.  Begin with the windows, clean them inside and out until they sparkle. Make sure to thoroughly wash any dreary curtains too. It’s called window dressing for a reason, after all, who wants to put dirty clothes back on after a shower?

Hardwood floors should be polished to perfection, let the features of the wood really stand out. Splashback tiles in kitchens and bathrooms should be treated with the same standard of attention.

8 - Be weather wary

British springtime brings with it the promise of April showers.  However, deceptively titled, they make no promise to limit themselves to this month alone.

With changeable weather always on the horizon, pray for sunshine during those crucial viewings, but prepare for rain.

Have a ‘viewings only’ brand new, clean door mat ready for your viewers. It presents a good first impression whilst also saving your newly scrubbed carpets (see tip #2) from mucky feet.  If possible, have a place to store wet umbrellas out of the way for the duration of the viewing.

Wise also to check the state of your gutters prior to viewings, an overflowing downspout thrumming onto the conservatory roof may not warm the cockles of your viewers’ hearts.

9 - A visit from the Easter bunny

Curry favour by treating potential buyers to a tasty treat (after all, inspecting homes is a wearing business).  We’re not suggesting setting up an Easter egg hunt prior to every viewing (although that sounds like fun). However, a bowl of chocolates wrapped in shining colourful foil on the kitchen counter or coffee table can lift the spirits immeasurably.

With those tips in mind it’s time to ‘spring’ into action! So, if you’re ready to sell, we’d love to hear from you and help get you moving. Call us for a chat on 01364 652652, drop by and see us or send me an email -katie@sawdyeandharris.co.uk. We would love to help you spring into gear.

Seven seconds....

That’s all the time you have in which to make a good first impression. During that brief timeframe, we create an indelible impression of ourselves.

Alright, so that research is person-centred. But fortunately for people, we can rectify a bad first impression with meaningful conversation, gratitude and compliments on the second meeting.  Trouble is, your home doesn’t have the luxury of anthropomorphism. So, how do you ensure your home creates a lasting, and glowing, first impression?

Seven seconds? How about seven ‘firsts’? Start the beginning of January with purpose as we reveal our seven sure-fire ways to create a resounding first impression.

1. Put up a good front…door

When seconds count, details matter.

All that vacuuming stands for nothing if your prospective buyer has been instantly turned off before they’ve even had chance to set foot upon those perfectly primed carpets.

Often overlooked, when was the last time you truly took in the details of your own front door? Serving more for practicality’s sake than as a ‘wow factor’ when it comes to selling, nonetheless, the front door is the first thing your viewer gets up close and personal with.

Fear not, this one is a relatively easy fix. Unless your wooden door is rotting at the hinges, re-loving it can be a fairly stress-free process.

Firstly, check for maintenance issues. Pet owners pay heed! Look out for scratch marks towards the base of the door and give them a sand down. Pet feeders in porches can often leave un-slightly ‘splashback’ of gravy or jelly, so be sure to scrub down the sill and side casing of the frame.

Breathe life into faded paintwork with a makeover. We love a sophisticated splash of British racing green, or the warm welcome of lollipop red. For UPVC doors, a lick of paint may be out of the question, but a good scrub and polish can still work wonders. And for a touch of colour, why not invest in a pair of pre-prepared containers of seasonal planting for either side of the entrance?

2. Dress for the part

Just because the viewer is there to inspect your home, that doesn’t mean you (or your agent) won’t be under the microscope too.

As always, presentation is the key. No need to dress for royalty, but leave your ‘comfy pants’ and tattered trainers firmly at the back of the cupboard where they belong.

Keep up appearances with a tidy, clean outfit, and be on hand to greet your visitors in a friendly and welcoming manner when they arrive. If you take this much care over your own appearance, your house must be well looked after, right?

Why not employ a touch of psychology to help secure a lasting first impression?

Play to the strengths of your home’s ‘lifestyle factor’. If you have a stunning garden orchard, why not give your guest some ‘thinking space’ during the viewing as you disappear to harvest some of the crop. A woven basket lined with a checked tea towel, brimming with Egremont Russets paints its own picture of domestic bliss!

3. Selling not smelling!

A fantastic first impression occurs when all the senses join together in pleasurable harmony, so don’t just focus on what your viewer can see with their eyes.

The best way to suss out if your home needs an olfactory overhaul is to invite a straight-speaking friend over to have a ‘nose’ about the place. That way you can freshen up the atmosphere before viewings. This is particularly helpful if you are a pet owner. Chances are you are accustomed to your pet’s odour. Even if you are militant about grooming, bathing and hoovering…a non-pet owner will sniff out their presence before you can say ‘walkies’.

Many smokers no longer light up in their home, however porches and cloakrooms can often harbour residual smells. Be sure to wash ‘smoking jackets’ and avoid smoking anywhere on your premises prior to a viewing.

4. Kick skeletons out of closets

Admit it. There’s no shame. We all have that one room of doom. Usually the box room, with its unpleasant aroma of mildew, or if you’re lucky just a large coat closet.

Most savvy viewers will want to peek behind every door they come across in your home.

The lasting first impression you want for them isn’t the ambulance siren as they are whisked away to be treated for concussion after they open the airing cupboard door and the Christmas board game box topples down onto their head. Ker-plunk indeed.

Putting your house on the market is a great opportunity to clear out the cobwebs and de-skeleton the closets. Anything un-used for six months or more, donate to a local charity shop. There, now you can show off the wealth of storage facilities your home has to offer.

5. What lies beneath…

Bathrooms and kitchens hold the key to a good first impression. Get them right, you could clean up. Get them wrong and your viewers will be looking to make a clean break.  For this first impression to be successful you really do have to go the extra mile. Mildew and the dreaded black mould are absolute no-nos. It’s time to don the Marigolds, reach for the bleach and scrub ‘til it sparkles.

If housemaid’s elbow really isn’t your style, then it’s time to get the professionals in. Good deep cleaning services are worth their weight in gold when it comes to clinching the sale. Another top tip for a pearly-white tile-smile includes grouting pens, designed to restore the gleam of stained tile grout in both bathrooms and kitchens.

6. DO judge a book by its cover

How many times have you heard the phrase ‘don’t judge a book by its cover’? Yet the cover is designed for exactly this purpose. It displays clues and offers sneak previews of the inside on its front and back covers.

Just like your home.

Any signs of wear and tear, neglect or ugliness on the exterior are sure to resonate with your viewers for all the wrong reasons. Once inside, the glamour of your home’s interior may well win them back around; but it’s an uphill battle.

 With the stakes so highly set, do you really need the extra scrutiny?

 If your home lacks inherent ‘kerb appeal’, fear not. While you can’t change the intrinsic nature of the architecture, even the most eye-watering of 1970s extensions can be presented in a positive light with a little attention to detail.

Mrs Marigold to the rescue once more! Get elbow deep in the gutters; leaves and winter detritus not only look unsightly but can be damaging if left untended.

Peeling paintwork signifies an aging property and will put viewers on high alert for other flaws inside. A spot of TLC now will pay dividends in the long term.

7. Space to shine

Having followed the above tips, it’s time to leave your home to do the talking.

As tempting as it is to shadow viewers around your home and ‘troubleshoot’ any negatives they may mention, space sometimes sells.  Pop the kettle on, and leave a pot of freshly brewed tea or coffee out alongside a plate of biscuits before leaving them to it.  Give them the space and time to make their own minds up about your home; after all, sometimes you just have to play it cool.

With those tips in mind, you’ve done your very best to show your home in its very best light.

And remember…you never get a SECOND chance to make a good FIRST impression.

So, if you are ready to sell, we’d love to help your home make an incredible first impression. Just call us on 01364 652652 or email us at hello@sawdyeandharris.co.uk and we’ll help get you moving.