If you are looking to sell your home this year, Debbie Justus-Ferns, divisional manager of Renprop Residential Sales, says that there are five crucial things to do before the ‘for sale’ sign goes up.

“Before buyers start viewing your home, it is vitally important to make sure it is as appealing to them as possible,” says Justus-Ferns. Obviously if you are selling your property you don’t want to spend too much money on making it look good, but there are some simple, inexpensive things you can to do to enhance its appeal and thereby help to secure a sale. Justus-Ferns discusses the five most important ones:

1. Create a great first impression
   We all know that we have just a few seconds in which to make a positive or negative impact on the people we meet. Same goes for your property. At first glance does it look appealing? Can you make it look better? Pay attention to mowing the lawn, tending to the garden and ensuring it looks neat and tidy. Same goes for the pavement and entrance area.
2.  Clear all the clutter from inside spaces
   If you are selling your home, you are going to be moving. Simplify your packing experience by clearing out and getting rid of all your unwanted items before listing your home for sale. Declutter too and start packing away the things you don’t use all that often. “Decluttering helps to create an open and airy feeling and limiting the amount of personal items in a home can help a potential buyer visualise their own things in the space,” says Justus-Ferns.
3. Give your home a lick of paint
   A fresh coat of paint can work wonders to make your home look that much more appealing. If you are on a budget, narrow your focus to areas or rooms that look like they need some freshening up. Before painting, address any damp issues or peeling paint and fix any chips or holes left from nails in the wall.
4. Give your home a thorough cleaning
   It goes without saying that pet hair, dust and grime will be very off-putting for any potential buyers. Giving your home a very thorough clean and deep cleaning any carpeted areas will enhance its appeal. Sellers should also pay attention to washing windows, making sure the swimming pool is at its sparkling best and dusting light fittings.
5. Repair any damaged fixtures or fittings
   A home that is in good repair will definitely be more attractive to a buyer than one that has repair work needed. From the big things like plumbing and plug points to checking all cupboard and door hinges, locks and swimming pool cleaning apparatus, sellers should walk through each room and the outdoor areas and check them carefully for minor repairs that could easily be undertaken.

“All sellers want to achieve a good price and sell their property within a reasonable amount of time. While part of achieving this is due to the agent marketing the property well to prospective buyers, the most important part is creating a space that they would actually be interested in buying. And that is up to the sellers,” Justus-Ferns concludes.