If you're looking for a change of scenery and you think it's time to move house, then preparing your home properly can help you secure a quick sale. We've been working with homeowners to improve their indoor and outdoor spaces for years, so we know the positive impact that new flooring (or a new patio) can have.
Competition is fierce on the housing market, so if you want your home to stand out you need to make sure it's clean and well presented. Here are a few things that we'd recommend you do before putting your house up for sale.
1. Clean and Tidy
People say that first impressions are everything and the first thing that people will notice when they come for a viewing is whether or not your house has been cleaned and looked after. General untidiness, dirt and grime can put someone off in a matter of seconds. To combat this, we'd recommend giving your house a thorough clean prior to any visits. This means:
- Packing away children's toys
- Putting shoes away in the cupboard
- Hoovering the floors and carpets
- Removing grubby fingerprints on windows
2. Fix and Replace
If you've been living in your home for more than a few years, there's bound to be a few things that need fixing and replacing. Whether it's something small like a faulty light switch or something more serious like a hole in the kitchen lino, investing in your home now will pay dividends when you come to sell it.
Why not replace the old wooden deck in your garden with a chic, low maintenance patio? Or better yet, use our indoor/outdoor tiles to create a seamless transition between your home and garden. Using our modern porcelain paving to connect your home and garden will give the illusion of a bigger and more open living space which is sure to appeal to potential buyers. Plus, you (and the new owners) will benefit from a very low-maintenance space that will last for years to come - a worthwile investment indeed.
3. Kerb Appeal
So far, we've given you a few recommendations to improve your home and garden before you put your home up for sale, but we haven't discussed one of the most important factors - kerb appeal.
Kerb appeal is the way that your home looks from the street and is the very first thing that potential buyers will see whether they're driving past your home, or looking at the listing online. Spending a bit of time to improve the way the front of your home looks can help you attract more buyers. To improve your home's kerb appeal, we'd suggest:
- Painting fences and gates
- Neatening up the lawn and any outdoor plants/bushes
- Installing a new path/walkway (or cleaning up the existing one)
- Giving your front door a clean/new lick of paint
Can I move house during the coronavirus pandemic?
For most people, it is still perfectly possible to move home despite the current challenges of COVID-19. The main changes we've seen so far effect the way that house viewings and moving days work.
Wherever possible, house viewings should take place via video, this limits the exposure that potential buyers and homeowners have with one another. If an 'in-person' house viewing does take place, the government are advising that the house is thoroughly cleaned before and after the viewing and that homeowners vacate during the viewing if possible.
On moving day, you are advised to disinfect your belongings (especially if a third party removal company are going to be helping you). When removal workers are in your home, you should stick to social distance guidelines wherever possible and wash your hands regularly.
If either you or anyone involved in the transaction come down with COVID-19 symptoms, it's vital that you self isolate. This can, of course, slow down the house moving process but it's important for all parties that the move happens safely.
You can read the in-depth government guidelines here.
If you're thinking about selling your home and you want to install PrimaPorcelain paving as part of your preparations - don't hesistate to get in touch.
