translate

Friday, 28 June 2019

SELLING YOUR HOUSE BY FIONA CUMMINGS


Selling your house

It’s that time of year when a lot of people are thinking about putting their houses on the market. September is coming and the new schools are around the corner. Some people think it’s the best time of year to sell. As the garden may look it’s best and people are happier in summer than winter. So, how to make your house have that attraction appeal? Well I have read a lot on this subject and this is what I have either learned or knew already by past experience.

 

Most people know that when you are selling your house, people first see the outside. So, make sure your garden and drive are both tidy. Make your drive look as big as possible by removing everything but your car. Keep your grass short and the edges neat. People think if your garden is tidy your house will be too but if you have a messy garden, then a lot of people will drive off. Now in my experience, I have known two people who had the most perfect gardens, but their houses were seriously lacking paint and a duster. But still they say that people will look further if the outside looks nice. This includes your front door. If the paint is coming off or looking old, then think about repainting it. And think of the colour you are putting on it… a bright blue, green or yellow may not look as classy as boring white or a dark red for example.

 

Give your door new dresswear like a handle, letter box or door bell.

 

If your garage door and windows are all white then you can put a contrast colour on your doors. But if your windows are white, your garage door is another colour, personally I would match the door with the garage door.

 

Overflowing gutters check them out and your roof. Keep it clean.

 

Your drive is important. Keep the weeds down and if there are any parts that need tidying, then try to do so.

 

If you don’t have a drive but a small pathway leading to your front door, try fitting different coloured outdoor tiles to make a statement.

 

If you live in a Victorian property, you can look for designs that were around in that era, such as black and white geometric tiles laid in a diamond formation. If you are on a budget, then coloured gravel or slate is nice. Remember though to edge the pathway with wood to keep it in place also an underlay sheet to prevent most weeds from coming through the gravel/slate.

 

And if you have a gate, same as the door and garage door. Keep it nice. You can get rust treatment if you have a metal gate too. Just by doing this you would feel happy too when you come home. You can add lights so that when it’s getting dark, there is a lovely welcoming pathway of lights to your door and remember that important tidy doormat, so, if your door mat is looking like it’s had too many feet trampling over it, then time for a change.

 

And then inside. Tidy cushions on your chairs and sofas. Don’t leave newspapers laying around. From your kitchen remember to empty the bin and any old take away boxes from the night before. Don’t have a load of dishes in the sink and as for your bedroom, make sure your bed is made. I know you may think what? but I do know people who have shown me around their house when I was looking to buy and they hadn’t made their bed not only that, but they had dirty clothes laying around. And on radiators.  Socks and worse… so, it does happen.

 

Try to have your ornaments and pictures put away in boxes in your garage or storage just this makes the house look less personal, to you. Some people just don’t have any imagination so they can’t think of your house the way it is, empty or with their stuff in it.

 

Don’t have the TV blasting, fine for quiet background sound but again, I have been in someone’s house where the wife has shown me around and the Husband has been laying on the sofa with the football blasting out of the TV.

 

I have also been in a house where they had coffee going on. Well that smell is meant to be homely and it is lovely, but not everyone likes the smell and when I went to a house like that, I did smile thinking you have been reading how to sell your house…. I have also been into a house where the smell of freshly baked bread has come from the kitchen, again another tip, but again, a little obvious. I also hate freshly sprayed air freshener. I immediately think. What smell are they trying to hide?

 

And if you are looking to buy. Visit the property you ar interested in, at  night time as that is when you will learn if you go early in the evening especially if its light nights, if children are playing near your house and what kind of children they are but if you live not too far away, and you visit later, you will see what  undesirables are hanging around too.

 

When I picked this house where we live now, I just felt at peace. And I felt the friendliness of our street. And I haven’t been wrong when it comes to the friendliness, and it is peaceful out the front, but oh, boy the back? It was raining so I didn’t stay out the back long. But if I had come back, I would have seen it was very noisy.

 

Happy house hunting and selling.

No comments: