Part One – Preparing your home for sale
Thinking of selling your home this year? Eyeing up your next move in Carlisle, North Cumbria and the Borders?
Well, you’ll need some good advice and that’s where we can help. In this two-part blog, we’ve got 10 Tip Tips on selling your home for the right price and without delay from our very own Valuer and Manager Piers Morton
Whether you’re looking at selling in Carlisle, Dalston, Brampton, Wigton, Wetheral or anywhere else, lean on Piers’ long experience in selling homes successfully for hundreds of clients across Cumbria. Our top tips will make sure you have all the right things in place to ensure you get the move you want in 2024.
Pick a reputable estate agent who will give you a realistic value for your property – and not an inflated price to encourage you to choose them. As well as the valuation, we also offer advice, a full overview of the current market situation and explain the timings and full costs associated with your potential move. Make sure your estate agent does the same.
First impressions matter so sort all those little jobs you’ve been putting off and do them now. If there are marks on the walls, give them a lick of paint. And make sure your carpets and flooring are stain-free. You never get a second chance to make a first impression – and potential buyers will start making their minds up the minute they walk into your home. So, take a look around and make sure everything is clean and tidy and there are no obvious faults or broken items. You won’t regret it. And get busy de-cluttering as well. Ensure all of your rooms are laid out clearly and are easily defined. Some viewers can imagine the spaces without your furniture or items but others can’t. They’ll follow your guide and measure their items with yours. Make sure you maximise the impression of space and flexibility in every room.
Pay particular attention to kitchens and bathrooms. Apart from the obvious clean and polish, make sure your worktops are clear of dishes and other items. And do the same with bathrooms. It may not be your chosen style but focus now on selling your home but keep things minimalistic and tidy any loose things away. Pay particular attention to any limescale and make sure grouting and shower screens are sparklingly clean. It’ll make things look more appealing and help potential buyers want to live in your house – which is just what you need.
Gardens and driveways are just as important as the inside of your home and are almost always the first things that viewers see as they arrive. So, ensure they are clean, tidy and free of weeds. Cutting the grass and tidying borders, painting a tired shed or garage door can easily give your garden and outside areas a bit of a lift, leaving your buyers imagining life outside your home as well as inside.
We’re a nation of animal lovers but not all potential buyers will be as keen on your pet pooch as you are. Some people are delighted when a friendly dog greets them but you can never be too careful. It may well put as many people off as it attracts, especially if you get a potential buyer who’s scared of animals. So, before you start arranging viewings, have a plan for your pet. We usually advise our sellers to pop out for a quick walk or let the cat out. If it turns out that your viewers are animal lovers, then you can tell them how nice the local walks are and all about the lovely secure pet-friendly garden.
So, there you go. Piers’ first five tips for selling your home successfully.
Next time, look out for his final five tips. You’ve prepped your home, sorted any little issues. Next time, we’ll look at how to get the most from those all-important viewings – and how to make sure you keep the momentum from the point when you get the right offer right through to the day you complete the sale and head off to your next home.
Ready to sell your home? Why not ask Piers and the team for a free valuation? Get in touch with us on 01228 888999 option 2 or drop Piers an email on
