Would you buy your own home?

Would you buy your own home ?

That may seem like a very obvious question – but I find that many of my clients can pick out the very obvious faults when they are looking for their new home but cannot see many of those very same flaws when it comes to their own homes. The reality is that many of us stop seeing the problems right in front of us because we look at them every day. Why don’t you enlist the help of a close friend or family member who doesn’t live in your house? Show him or her through and ask for some honest feedback. 

There are actually companies who are run by interior decorators and designers who actually stage homes for sale. You might even see some of them giving tips and advice on the home channel. I’ve been in real estate for decades and my own experiences mean that I have many tips for you. 

For starters, not everyone realises just how important it is to de clutter and tidy up. 

As I often tell my clients, first impressions count. Usually those first impressions are made outside your gate. So, make sure your home has street appeal. In addition to obvious things like neatening up the verge, tidying up the entrance to your home or even giving a tatty wall or fence a lick of paint, make sure that intercoms are working and that gates open quickly and effortlessly. I also always advise my clients to add a few flowers and potted plants, to pressure wash driveways, patio and pathways, weed the garden, mow the lawn and trim shrubs and hedges. 

Once inside, the easiest thing that you can do is to simply cut down on clutter. Clear off kitchen counter tops, get rid of that stack of magazines on the coffee table and clear out all the soaps and lotions that you’ve been meaning to use in your bathroom. Remember, less means more space, light and interest. 

What I have found to be one of the biggest problems is having too much furniture. Borrow some space in a friend’s garage or hire some storage space and remove those extra items.  

Then, make sure you are more fastidious than ever when it comes to those every day chores. Mop, dust, vacuum, wash windows. I can’t tell you how off putting it is to show a potential buyer a home - only to find unwashed dishes, unmade beds, wet towels on the carpets and children’s toys underfoot. 

The same goes for pets – make sure that people looking at your house do not trip over your pooch’s toys. Animals are also the main reason many homes smell bad. Steam clean carpets and soft furnishings and persuade Fido to be outside while people are looking at your home. Another thing – make sure that doggie bones (and worse) are not left lying on the lawn and that canine landscaping is filled in and neatened.  

I always tell my clients that the two rooms that make or break a sale are the kitchen and the bathrooms. They are also the ones most in need of staging. I don’t have to tell you not to leave baths with brown rings or toothpaste in the sink. But also remember that cracked tiles and grubby grouting are no-no’s. Special touches can also seal a deal – some gorgeous fluffy towels in a bathroom, a bowl of fresh fruit on a kitchen counter top or a vase of flowers on a table, for example. 

Last but not least, fix those little things that busy people like us always put off until tomorrow – those broken cupboard handles and leaking taps. Make sure that all electrical cords are neat and cable tied and do a quick whip around to make sure there are not finger marks on light switches or hair in the bathroom drain! 

I know that those are obvious things – but you’d be surprised how often our Tyson agents have to deal with them!  It’s really just common sense. 

regards Chris