The Preston Baker Ten Step Guide to bringing your home to market

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1 Vitally Important Presentation Sell your house quickly for the best possible price The Preston Baker Ten Step Guide to bringing your home to market Getting the best from Preston Baker Award winning Estate Agents

2 Preston Baker Vitally Important Presentation We are all individuals - which our lifestyles reflect. We have our own individual sense of style that shows in the way we dress and the way we furnish, decorate and accessorise our homes.

3 Show potential buyers the future Many people struggle to see the future potential of a property - they can t see past the colour of your carpet, or the wallpaper in the lounge and you need to be prepared for that. Preston Baker will help you to widen the appeal of the property and show your potential buyers what is beyond your personal décor. Here are the Preston Baker - TEN top home preparation tips to help you sell your home quickly and realise the best possible price. Good presentation takes time and effort but your reward will be to greatly improve and enhance the saleability of your property. Thankfully we all have different tastes! With this in mind, we must remember that our individual choice of style may not appeal to everyone. Preparing your home for sale is vitally important - it can help to sell your property more quickly - and more importantly - can add extra value to the sale price. When you are selling your home, to go onto pastures new - the last thing you want to do is spend a lot of money on the property you are leaving. You need to sell your house, maximise your profit and move on. But sometimes by investing a little - you can gain a lot. With the help of Preston Baker your home can be beautifully presented and marketed to appeal to the widest selection of buyers, giving you the best opportunity to sell for the highest price.

4 Declutter & tidy It s very important that people are able to visualise what the property would look like if they were going to live there. So get rid of all excess items that have accumulated around the place - people like space. If you have large pieces of furniture, consider moving them out or re-arranging to make rooms look larger. Put DVD s / CD s away. Making sure that your property is clean and tidy is also essential. Clean everything until it shines - make beds, put washing away, make sure the washing up is done, move pet beds away from living rooms. A Fresh lick of paint Make sure that any damaged decoration is repaired and all scuffs and marks are either cleaned up or painted over. If you have strong paint colours - consider changing them for lighter, more neutral tones, it will help prospective buyers see more potential.

5 Fix & repair Do any minor repairs, fill & re-paint cracks - replace items that are broken or damaged. Make sure hinges are adjusted, taps don t drip and any other minor niggles are fixed. The sweet smell of success Bad smells are a real turn off! Make sure your property is well aired and smells good. Don t just cover the smell - remove the source if you can. Make sure waste bins are emptied, sheets & towels are fresh and pet bedding is clean. Open windows and clean surfaces with a fresh scented cleaner to remove cooking and smoking odours. Leaving a bowl of vinegar for a few days will help absorb the smell of smoke which will disappear once you have opened the windows for a while. Try not to use air-freshener - it smells synthetic and lots of people are allergic to it. On the other hand, good smells can make a property really welcoming - a pot of coffee brewing can really do the trick.

6 Pay particular attention to these rooms. Kitchen & bathrooms sell houses The kitchen is the most important room in the house and can really make the difference when a buyer has doubts or is choosing between your property and another. Make sure that work surfaces are clean and tidy - clear surfaces make the kitchen look bigger. Clean the appliances - remove any grease. Make sure that drawers glide well and that kitchen cabinet doors are level. If your kitchen really has seen better days, you might consider changing the doors on the kitchen cabinets, which can be done relatively inexpensively and will make a significant difference to how the kitchen looks. Get rid of any limescale stains and clean or replace mouldy grouting in both the kitchen and bathroom. Make sure the toilet is clean and fresh, the seat is down and the mirrors are gleaming. Put out new towels - they always look nice.

7 Lighting - show off your assets Make sure that windows are clean inside and out. Replace any light bulbs that are not working. In rooms or spaces that are dark - light lamps to create brightness and warmth. Carefully placed mirrors can add light to dark rooms. Warm and comfortable If it s cold, make sure that the heating is on or the fire lit. There is nothing more off-putting than being shown around a house that is chilly and unwelcoming. If it s hot, make sure that doors and windows are opened to allow a good flow of air around the property.

8 Kerb appeal You only get one chance to make a first impression It is quite common for people to drive by your house before they decide to view, so when your visitor sees the property they will immediately make a judgment about it. Make sure that the front of the property is clean & tidy. Move bins out of site. If you have one, tidy the garden, cut back the shrubs, clean & tidy patios, pathways & driveway. Give the front door a fresh coat of paint, or at least a good clean and make sure that the door furniture is shiny and the bell works! Windows and net curtains should be cleaned. Dress to impress Having nice soft furnishings always looks great and creates a homely and comfortable feel. Windows should all have curtains or blinds - naked windows look less appealing. Fresh flowers look good and smell nice. If you have lots of ornaments - remove a few to create more space and depersonalise a little - sometimes undressing can be key. Fresh fruit and veg in the kitchen make a good impression and a fresh smelling loo is essential!

9 Make it clear Some people find it difficult to visualise, so it is important to clearly define the use of each room. For example, if you use your small bedroom as a study, you should have a single bed in there to show how it fits. The same for your dining room - lay it out with dining furniture so that it is obvious to potential buyers. Showing your property in its best light Firstly, make sure that you have a supply of your Preston Baker brochures available for visitors and if you have guarantees for anything you wish to highlight - have them available too. Have information of local amenities available (schools, shops, services). Turn off the TV and make your visitors feel welcome - but don t crowd them. Walk them around your home, clearly pointing out features, including storage. Stand back and allow them to move around the rooms - the less people in the room the more spacious it will appear. Answer any questions to the best of your ability. Be friendly - these people might buy your house. Offer them a drink and chat, but try and be businesslike - try not to appear over-eager or put them under pressure.

10 Getting the best from Preston Baker Award winning Estate Agents If a member of Preston Baker staff is present for the visit - then let them do what they do best - sell your home for you - they know what to say and how to get the best from your property. And, they can be dispassionate and wont feel offended by difficult or awkward questions. Your personal Estate Agent is the best person to help you sell your house, so use them to your advantage. Open house You might consider an Open House event - where prospective buyers visit on a specific day. This can generate a competitive situation and encourages higher offers. Ask Preston Baker for details. Appointments calendar Name When Contact Comments Name When Contact Comments Name When Contact Comments

11 Very Important Preparation checklist As a quick reminder of preparations that need to be done to get your home ready, Preston Baker would like you to work with CADETS - the team to help you get the best from the sale of your home: C Clean everything A Access all areas D Distractions removed E Environmental issues T Tidy it up S Space & store Windows, bathroom & kitchen fittings, worktops, carpets, net curtains, paintwork. Doors all unlocked and working, parking available, no-one sleeping, guarantees & brochures available, doorbell working Tone down bright colours, pets & feeding equipment safely housed, TV and music turned off, lighting on in dark areas. Gutters & drains clean, pointing done, fix loose wires, avoid condensation- open windows or fresh air and fresh smells, nice smells in the house, warm & welcoming. Garden, patios, paths & driveways, bins. Prune, cut grass. Garage. Toys, CD s & DVD s. Paintwork. Hide untidy cables & wires. Position or store furniture to create space, highlight storage, tidy cloakrooms, remove items hanging on doors Name When Contact Comments Name When Contact Comments Name When Contact Comments

12 AWARD WINNING AGENCY