If you’re thinking of putting your home on the market in Balham, Tooting or Wandsworth, how to make it more attractive to buyers should be one of your key concerns. While many London buyers will approach a purchase expecting to put their own stamp on the place – they also expect certain standards of presentation. So, putting in that bit of extra work to make the house more attractive to buyers can certainly pay off. Here are 10 things you can do now to make your south west London home attractive to buyers.
First impressions absolutely do count so you need to address the exterior of your property as a priority. Consider an outside paint job, freshening up your front door with an appealing shade. Shine or replace your door furniture, clean windows and sweep your paths. Tidy away any clutter and spruce up your front garden adding planters and window boxes for a nice touch.
Decluttering is one of your most important jobs, if you’re looking to make your house attractive to buyers. Go through every room in turn, removing items that don’t need to be on display. This means putting away any that are utensils cluttering up your kitchen worktop, streamlining bookshelves and rehoming pieces of furniture that make a room look overstuffed.
It’s important to depersonalise the space too – that means removing all your children’s drawings from the fridge and putting away those trophies and family photos that you have been proudly displaying. You’re trying to create a blank canvas that viewers can imagine moving into and making their own.
Use the opportunity to get rid of anything you no longer want or need – this will not only save you a job when you move but add to your home’s appeal. Never stuff belongings into cupboards, wardrobes or garages in the belief that out of sight is out of mind. Buyers will always snoop and having tidy cupboards emphasises that the home has great storage.
The benefits of a super, deep clean can’t be overstated, so address every room in turn, thoroughly dusting, airing and removing the cobwebs for each space. Consider having carpets professionally cleaned to really freshen them up and scrub bathroom and kitchen surfaces till they gleam – make use of the wealth of cleaning hacks online for ideas. Sadly, you’ll need to keep at it before each viewing, but it will all be worthwhile.
For all those DIY niggles that you’ve learned to live with – wobbly door handles, broken tiles, mould on the shower sealant – now is the time to tackle them head on to make sure the home has a sleek and finished look. If you’re not a master of DIY, call in a recommended handy person to get them done for you.
If your walls are looking tired, a fresh lick of paint can really boost a room, making the home more attractive to potential buyers. It’s particularly important to consider decorating if you have gone for a dark or unusual shade in one room. While some buyers are sold on individuality – research shows that the majority like calm, neutral shades. Going light can also make the home look bigger and brighter.
What is pretty to one person is twee or old fashioned to another, but ta few nice touches will add to the general appeal. An attractive vase here and there, prints on the walls, well-tended house plants and fresh flowers will all boost the look and feel of your place.
Lighting is so crucial to hooking in the buyers – no one likes a dark and dingy space. Open all your blinds and curtains to maximise natural light, adding the odd warm lamp or uplighter to boost it further. Be careful with harsh over-head lights which can be stark and off-putting. Be sure to add couple of mirrors – they can really accentuate natural light and help to make rooms look bigger.
Outdoor space is high on buyers wish lists these days, so you need to make sure yours fits the bill. If you can’t run to a garden makeover, at least do the weeding. Cut back unruly shrubs, mow the lawn and add some healthy attractive plants – including pots for your patio. New garden furniture can help too.
Overpricing is possibly the biggest reason why homes don’t sell. Not only is it off-putting but it prices you out of certain search brackets on the property portals meaning your home won’t be seen by its core buyer group. It can also cause problems if the home is subsequently undervalued by a mortgage lender. Make sure you get three market appraisals from local agents and don’t be tempted to go with the highest on the off-chance.
The right agent can make or break your chance of a sale, so do your research. You want someone with good knowledge of the local market, enough potential buyers on their books and a great record of selling in your area. You need to be able to build a rapport with them too.
If you are looking in south west London, we think we tick all of these boxes. Contact us to discuss your property and find out what we can offer or book a no obligation market appraisal today.