For parents who have a young family, the thought of having to pack up and move is both scary and exciting. The great thing is, you’re totally motivated to sell. Your goal to be happily ensconced in your new home well ahead of the new arrival is more than achievable. Read along to learn how to prepare your house for sale.
We understand the urgency of the situation and will support and advise you every step of the way. It’s in everyone’s best interest to ensure the process flows smoothly with minimal stress.
The most important element of getting the ideal sale is to ‘know your buyer’. We work so hard to offer great advice and help you understand the sort of people most likely to buy your home.
So what are the priorities to consider for achieving a good, fast sale? Think back to when you chose your current home. What made it perfect for the lifestyle you had then? How have you changed it since you moved in?
Is your home most likely to appeal to people without children? If so, you’ll need to style your home to appeal to a wide market.
Always start with a major de-clutter. It’s essential to give the impression of masses of space to suggest a lifestyle your buyer will aspire to. Cluttered kitchen work-surfaces will make the space look small and pokey. Clear worktops and a gleaming coffee machine will give the impression of space and luxury.
Go through every cupboard, shelf and alcove to clear anything you don’t need, use or love. There will be many things you don’t really want or need. It’s well worth clearing them to make it more attractive to potential buyers.
Yes, you may have the baby clothes, cot and car seat from last time round. BUT your buyer wants to move into a space with room to relax, or to have friends and family around. If you need to hide items out of plain view, ask family or friends to take care of them or invest in a storage unit.
For the period of time you are marketing your home, you want it to appeal to as many potential purchasers as possible. Whilst recognising you still need to live and function as a family, aim to reduce the impact of your children’s toys. Streamline the space by asking your children to select a couple of favourite toys and use a toy box to put them out of sight during viewings. Store the rest until you move into your new property. Your home will immediately feel bigger and brighter and your children will be happy to rediscover ‘new’ things to play with after the move.
Decluttering helps keep a busy household tidy and you feel the benefits straight away. However, maintaining the extra level of sparkle for many ad hoc viewings can be a struggle. For this reason, the least stressful option is to organise an open-house and leave it to us to manage it while you go away for the day or weekend. It’s much easier to show a house at its best if you’re not juggling toddlers whilst prospective purchasers are looking around.
Go the extra mile for your open house! Clear the entrance hall, remove stair-gates to allow easy access. Put away bath toys and baby products so the bathroom feels more spacious and relaxing. Move trikes, bikes, paddling pools and outdoor toys out of sight so the garden is seen at its best from the house.
Take a deep breath! This may feel overwhelming to start with, but the benefits are massive. Start with decluttering something you can achieve in 10 minutes and get the whole family involved for bigger spaces. You know you can do this and when you relax and enjoy the experience it becomes fun!
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