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Preparing your home so that it's attractive to potential buyers is vital, and can cost relatively little, depending on how handy you are with a hammer. If DIY isn't your forté then you can either get a professional in, or you can opt for simpler, surface improvements.
It's advisable not to start any major projects, but there are some things that you should address. Get rid of any damp or dry rot, fix the roof if needed, and ensure that doors and windows open smoothly. Smaller jobs include painting the front door, mowing the lawn, cleaning the windows, cleaning carpets and curtains, making sure the doorbell works, fixing leaky taps, and generally giving the place a darned good spring clean.
With regards to decoration, bold colours are generally not a good idea. If you have any rooms with vivid walls or carpets, it's advisable to paint the walls with neutral colours, and put rugs in calmer tones over the carpets.
Bathrooms and kitchens are key players when selling, but are expensive to revamp completely. In the bathroom re-grout tiles and put new silicone around baths and sinks, clean away any lime scale and mildew, and give a quick coat of paint to wooden cabinets and shelving. In the kitchen, liven up tired cabinets and drawers by putting on new doors and fronts. Alternatively, if they're not too dated you may even be able to get away with just fixing on new handles. Again, clean tiles and appliances to get rid of grease and grime.
A final tip is to try and depersonalise the space. Remove items such as family photos and children's drawings whilst the house is being viewed. You need to allow the buyers to be able, as much as possible, to imagine themselves living in your home.
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