How can sellers make the best of the buyer’s market and stand out from the competition? This is where preparing your home properly before putting it on the market can make a real difference.  

I won’t talk much about decluttering, de-personalising, kerb appeal  – everyone has heard about it so many times.

Instead, I have listed 5 important things to note which are sometimes overlooked, or taken to the extreme:

1. Neutral Look – or not so much?

Yes, not everyone will like red walls so the overall look should be leaning towards calmer, neutral colours, but making it all beige is not the way either. So many listings online look the same with neutral colour scheme, but the research has shown that online listings with a pop of colour draw more attention, they stand out amongst the boring sea of ‘magnolia’.

And my personal experience has confirmed this – when staging for sale I always use vibrant art or dress neutral sofas and beds with colourful cushions and spreads – these draw lots of compliments and people often want to buy the whole look with the house.

A pop of colour can help a listing stand out and attract more viewings to the property

2. Every Room Has To Show Its Purpose Clearly

A house advertised as a 4-bedroom property needs to have 4 beds, it is as simple as that – leaving a smaller bedroom as a study/gym/storage will not help, most of the viewers will see the house as a 3-bed property. It is good to have a desk space, but as part of a bedroom.

In open-plan spaces - living, dining and kitchen areas should be clearly defined by furniture placement, rugs and art. This helps buyers see clearly what they can do with the space.

3. No New Kitchen and Bathroom

There is no need to fully refurbish by installing new kitchen or bathroom (unless they are really falling apart and dated). These are, in most cases, unnecessary expenses, not to mention that viewers may not like them anyway and would re-do them to suit their tastes and needs.

Most buyers will be happy with a standard, clean and tidy kitchen and bathroom which they can use for a while until they are ready to put their own stamp on it.

4. Paint the Front Door

First impression: kerb appeal, tidy garden, mirror in the dark entry hall – yes, all of that should be on the To Do list, but a fresh coat of paint on the front door is invaluable. It is an easy and relatively inexpensive touch-up which creates a great impact and shows that the home has been maintained and taken care of.

5. Smell of Freshly Baked Bread or Coffee - Not Really

Smell of freshly baked bread or coffee can be very appealing but after the first few minutes it may start to appear too contrived. Lots of people will get put off or become suspicious thinking someone is trying too hard or disguising something.

The house should certainly be properly aired and smell pleasant, all potential pet or not so attractive cooking smells should be banished, but any fresheners or fragrances and candles should be used very sparingly, if at all. Fresh flowers and plants are a much better option.

Professionally staged property presented for sale in a natural, honest way, without gimmicks and obviuos staging, clean, fresh and tidy but with a bit of personal touch and colour will certainly appeal to many potential buyers and bring great results to sellers even in a difficult market.