Summer Homes

Buying or selling the perfect place...

Summer is generally a good time to sell your house – and more often than not, it is looking its best with the flowers in bloom and light flooding through. However, the market is fairly tricky right now, so take some positive action to help warm up your chances of selling 1 The grass is greener…

Summer-dried brown patches on lawns ruin the effect of a pretty garden, so keep grass as green as possible. If potential buyers are about to march up the drive and you are stuck with a brown patch, strategically place some garden furniture on top of it.

2 Get airy

Musty-smelling rooms are off-putting and make people want to get out before they have even noticed the stunning ceiling rose. Freshen up with a summer fragrance.

3 Lighten up

If you have a dark room, add a table lamp, but don’t go over the top and put every light on in the house unnecessarily. And while we are on lights, one of the details vendors often don’t notice but buyers do is grimy light switches.

4 De-clutter

Make the entrance hall enticing, so potential buyers want to see more of your home. If it’s cluttered, the first impression of the house is that it’s cramped, rather than open and spacious. Move unnecessary items such as an excessive number of coats hanging up and muddy shoes.

5 Window dressing

People are always drawn towards windows – a plus in the height of summer when they can look out onto your carefully tended garden, so make them a real focal point. Apart from sparkling windows (well worth paying a window cleaner), clear junk off window sills and keep curtains pulled well back to make rooms seem lighter and bigger.

6 Floor space

The tidier the better – it’s particularly important to take everything off the floor as carpet clutter is the quickest way to make a room look smaller.

7 Pet hates

Your puppy may be the cutest ever, but dishes of pet food in the kitchen, especially in warm weather, are a complete turn-off, as are little accidents left on the lawn.

8: Fit for purpose

It is best to ensure the rooms are furnished in the way they were intended. Put a table in the dining room and get rid of the office furniture and clear junk out of the spare room. Both things are a bit of a turn off!

9: Spruce up

If the outside of the house needs a lick of paint to cover rust or dirt marks, do it as it will make all the difference to the first impression.

10: Floral delights

A vase of fresh flowers in the hall or kitchen instantly lifts the mood.