Three ways to make a property more attractive to buyers

After making the decision to sell your home, it can be tempting to put it on the market immediately,  to get the process over and done with as quickly as possible. Whilst this is understandable, it's rarely a good idea; you may end up waiting much longer for an interested buyer and getting less than your asking price, simply because you didn't take the time to spruce up the property before listing it for sale. A major renovation isn't usually necessary; just a few simple changes can have a surprisingly big impact on how your home is perceived by buyers.

Invest in the right materials

There are certain materials that will catch almost any buyer's eye, regardless of their personal tastes; marble, solid wood and natural stone all have near-universal appeal, as they are associated with luxury and durability.

As such, if you want to maximise the level of interest in your property, it's worth investing in a few new features made from these materials, such as solid timber doors and marble tiling. Make sure to have them professionally installed by a reputable contractor, as a poorly-fitted items will not impress anyone, no matter what they happen to be made from.

If you're working with a limited budget, be selective about which parts of the home you use these materials in; opt for highly-visible areas that prospective buyers are most likely to see during viewings.

Take care of the basics

It's important that potential buyers perceive your property as being in good general condition. This can be achieved to a certain extent with superficial improvements, such as painting the walls and fitting new carpets, but such updates will be fruitless if you fail to take care of the more basic maintenance tasks.

Seemingly insignificant issues like leaky faucets, cracked tiles or a faulty air-conditioning system may leave potential buyers with a negative impression of the property and could result in you waiting several more months for an interested party. Spend a few days carefully inspecting each room for these types of issues and repairing and replacing items where it is needed.

Create the illusion of spaciousness

A gloomy, cramped property is unlikely to appeal to any buyer. However, even if your home is somewhat lacking in space and natural light, there are steps you can take to improve its appearance and create a light and airy look.

Clearing away the clutter will go a long way towards achieving this; put trinkets, toys, piles of old magazines and other unnecessary items into storage before the viewings get underway. Additionally, consider swapping thick blackout curtains for white, sheer voile panels, which will allow as much natural light into the rooms as possible. Last but not least, place a few large mirrors around the most cramped areas of the home; these will reflect the light and make even the smallest of spaces seem more roomy.