Making all the appropriate plans to sell a property in the summer can play a bigger role than many people realise when trying to achieve an optimum price. It is to the seller’s advantage to get what usually is their biggest asset in a condition that will enable the property to be shown off to its full potential. Start the process by inviting your local agent for a market appraisal and full property inspection (where they thoroughly inspect the property). The agent would also consider the initial appeal of the property at first external glance, any garden presentation and would obviously look at the inside the property, offering expert advice and respectful suggestions/ improvements to make before entering the market.

There always seems to be a good feeling in the air when summer arrives with buyers simply seeming to be in a better mood. There’s more time to view in the evenings, less cancellations because of the weather and houses/ gardens can look more appealing at this time of the year. It is the perfect time to show-off a well-maintained outdoor space.

If you have a garden no matter how big, there are always ways to make it more appealing. Be sure to regularly mow the lawn, remove weeds, prune your shrubs, trim hedges or overgrown trees restricting light (respecting any preservation order restrictions of course).

If you have patio, it is advisable to jet wash it, or at least give it a good clean. Remove any weeds growing in between flag stones. Prospective buyers see a patio as the main entertainment area where they imagine themselves surrounded by friends and family with a BBQ, enjoying the sun! Garden furniture should be positioned wherever the sunlight is most likely to fall when the buyers are viewing. Set the stage for buyers so they can imagine themselves spending time in your garden. South facing gardens have the benefit of being exposed to the sun most of the day. If you have an east facing garden, then viewings in the morning are best and the reverse for the west facing gardens!

It is appreciated that you will not always have the luxury of picking and choosing when buyers view your property, so strategically setting out garden furniture in the places that best suit your garden’s style may help. The sun’s height in the summer will help the north facing gardens that may struggle with getting sufficient light.

Inside the property-

In most rooms it is sensible to open the curtains and blinds and allow air to flow through the property. We would recommend showing off natural light coming into the property where possible, ensuring that the room feels light and airy. We find buyers often praise rooms that offer natural light and tend to criticise a house that feels dark and gloomy.

I hope that these few hints and tips are of some help, but they are certainly not an exhaustive summary of the few small things that can be done in advance of you considering the sale of your property. It is the accumulation of some of these issues that can make the difference between selling and not selling, especially in a difficult market. Feel free to call us to have any further more in-depth discussions. We would be pleased to offer advice appropriate to your property and circumstances.

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