A lot of people are worried about Brexit and what it will mean for the economy, trade and not least houseprices. People are selling property now in anticipation of a housing market crash next year, affording them the opportunity to maximise their investment as property is anticipated to be incredibly cheap.
When you put your house on the market, your estate agent will tell you any number of things that you should do to increase the value of the property. You can follow their advice and maximise you money. Another might give you a lower price which will generate a quick sale, but if you want to maximise your return, you’ll want to do everything required to get your money out of the property, because if the economy does tank, you want to be as insulated as possible.
A lot of the recommendations they give you will appear to be expensive, however, investing in your home before you sell means not only creating a great impression on potential buyers, if you don’t manage to sell, at least you’ll have a well maintained home to live in!
Get a Feel For Kerb Appeal
First of all, start from the outside in. It’s a truism that a first impression lasts, so if your garden is looking good, your windows are clean and the woodwork is freshly painted, your home will have better ‘kerb appeal’ than a house that doesn’t look good. Make it a place that people will like before they even step over the threshold.
Once they get inside, your potential buyers should be blown away at how warm and comfortable your place is. Even though they will surely be buying the house empty, your furniture simply cannot be ignored. If you can’t afford or don’t want to buy new furniture, it’s possible to rent furniture for a few months, remember, all you want to do is create the impression.
Create The Right Space
When you’re placing your furniture, think about how people move around your house. You might like it cosy and full, but these days people want an airy, open plan feel. You might not live in an open plan house but positioning a few pieces of furniture discreetly about will give potential buyers the impression that they are in a home that’s on trend, and that’s something they will want to buy into.
On the other hand, if your boiler is more than about seven years old, you could consider replacing it. Having the central heating powerflushed while you’re at it will show that you’re dedicated to maintenance and anyway, that’s another job they won’t have to worry about for a while when they move in.
It’s the same story for your carpets and flooring too. If it has seen better days, think about replacing it. A good shampooing can work wonders for a grubby carpet, but old, worn down and damaged flooring can be the kiss of death a sale, no matter how well the rest of the home is presented.
You could replace the kitchen, but it’s unlikely that’s really necessary. Rather, make sure it’s sparkling clean, that the doors all hang straight. If you’re going to buy anything new, some trendy handles for the cupboard doors will be a big help, but save doing anything too drastic.
If you are going to go in for cleaning, consider getting a contract cleaner in to do it. They come with all the best professional equipment and guarantee the quality of their work. In fact, any work that you need doing should be taken care of by a professional. You don’t want to attempt to do a job yourself, make a mess, ending up making the situation worse than it was to begin with!