by Stephen H

Created on: April 06, 2007   Last Updated: January 10, 2012

The property market is a very difficult place at the moment.  It is difficult for new buyers to obtain a mortgage and there are a surplus of properties available to buy.  It has never been more important to ensure that you present your property in it's best light  if you wish to sell.  Thankfully, there are some simple things you can do to make your property stand out to potential buyers, and it doesn't cost to do them.  Five top tips follow.

1. Kerb appeal.
The first thing the potential buyers will see is the front of your house. Make sure your front garden or yard (if you have one) is clean and tidy. Any obvious blemishes on the outside of the house should be eradicated. Flaking paint or dirty surrounds should be dealt with. A few flowers in a basket or along a border look good. Get rid of any outside clutter such as dustbins and recycling boxes. Make sure the windows are clean and well dressed.

2. Decoration
The inside of the house should be as neutrally decorated as possible. Plain light colours usually work best. This gives the potential a blank canvas onto which they can stamp their personalities and make the house their home. This may require a lick of paint across some of your main walls.

3. Clutter
Take out of the house everything that is cluttering up the place. You can box these ready to move or throw away depending on whether you want to keep them or not. Of course make sure the whole house is clean, but not overly so. You want buyers to view the property as a potential home, not a clinical showhouse. The exception is perhaps the kitchen and bathroom which should be scrupulously clean.

4. Smells
Get rid of negative smells such as pet smells or tobacco smoke. Air the house thoroughly, send pets to friends to look after until after the house is sold and if you must smoke, do so in the garden. Introduce homely smells into the house. Bake some bread or have some fresh coffee brewing, people react positively to these.

5. Utility
Make sure that the function of each room is clear to potential buyers. Dress the rooms according to their use. This is particularly important if the rooms are small and you need to show the buyers how it can be effectively used. If you use the small box room as an office or study but you are selling on the basis that it is a bedroom, make the room look like a bedroom.

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