Painting and Decorating

Painting, decorating and other ways to make sure your house is in a good condition to sell.

House selling has become a very competitive market, and though people are desperate in some areas to buy a house, its important you take care to ensure that the you've done all you can to make your house as attractive, safe and sale-able as possible.

It is said that the average house buyer has no vision – which means you need to make their 'envisioning' themselves within the house as easy as possible. 

Dark paintwork is a definite turn off – as are stained, worn or smelly carpets – both of which need to be taken care of.  

On the latter, you could offer an 'allowance' or remove a fraction of the house costs for carpets – or, if you can, invest yourself and replace them, to allow a possibly higher sale price.  Walls should be painted off white, or antique white – or possibly very pale and pastel shades if you're planning on redecorating – you may have no option if your walls are stained, marked or damaged.

Its also a good time to ensure that everything that you've been meaning to repair is taken care of is actually done – a faulty stair tread, banister or fence in the garden may only be a minor annoyance to you, but can be a danger to anyone looking at the house.

Its hard to sell your house without help, but one of the biggest tips you can take to ensure your house sells is to make sure you've removed your 'imprint'.   Looking at the house impartially, remove anything that screams 'my personality' and 'my personal space'.

Things like photos, pieces of unique artwork, and ornaments and more can be removed before people come to view the house.   Remember – they want to buy the house, not feel how you lived there, so if you haven't finished boxing up your non essentials by the time you start showing them the house, its time to consider whether you really need the clutter still unpacked – or whether its time to put it in the bin.