What are your top tips for selling a home? - £300 voucher to be won

First impressions are important - put yourself in the shoes of a viewer and be observant, thinking about what they see within the first few seconds of arriving. Is your front door or doorstep grubby? Could you put a pot plant or hanging basket outside? On stepping into the house, make sure there isn't clutter on the floor or at the eyeline. Create circumstances where viewers feels uninhibited. Let them explore without breathing down their neck or rushing them. Show empathy: 'It's a lot to take in - feel free to come back again for another look.' Open the garden door before viewers arrive. It attracts potential buyers to walk over towards the light and the greenery outside - another enhanced feature you can make the most of at your property. Leave all internal doors in the house open. This creates the illusion of space. If, on a landing, all bedroom doors are closed, it isn't inviting. Some people don't have much vision so make sure there aren't too many of your own family photographs and knick knacks around. It's preferable just to have perhaps a tasteful candle and fresh flowers - they can then be inspired as to how they would get the home looking working from a blank canvas. Draw attention to 'hidden gems.' We have lots of deep built in cupboards where we have installed clever storage systems - open up that type of space to illustrate the added value in the house. When we've been househunting little details like creased up bed linen distracted from positives. It's simple to have everywhere looking crisp maybe even with fluffy towels on the bed. I don't go for a show home look rather how I would want to welcome a friend coming to stay as a guest. Oh, and... we've had lots of compliments about how lovely our house smells - secret weapon... diffusers priced at just £1.50 from Wilko dotted around. They really are the gift that keeps on giving! When making a little small talk, we stress that we have lovely neighbours and that our street is generally safe. We did something right - JUST SOLD!

Make the garden look tidy and pretty (kerb-appeal - make them want to come in). Have a homely smell to greet them (no, not the dog) - coffee or baking are favourites. Clear out all but the absolute essentials - the less there is, the less work their imagination has to do to see past the clutter and how their stuff would fit in.

I believe presentation is everything and it pays to prepare your house for a viewing. We have moved 14 times so I would like to think we have some experience. I am undecided about letting agents carry out viewings or doing them yourself. They both have advantages. If you have a great viewing agent then leave it to them. They should (always check) know the area very well and be able to sell the local benefits. Be prepared to move out before you have found your next house rather than lose a buyer and please be realistic about the price. I have worked at an estate agent and all too often the owner has an inflated view of their property and then blames the agent when nobody buys it!

Don't overprice it. To be honest, when we have bought houses, the location and the size of the rooms was what was important . Not the condition or decoration. That can be changed.

I would say try and show the viewings yourself, cause you will know more about the local area, schools, doctors ect.. I sold a large 2 bed house to a family who needed a 3 bedroomed, purely by getting a quote to convert a huge bedroom into 2. The quote was free and it was enough to sell

*loft conversion (typo)

I don’t believe you can convince someone to buy a house if it’s not in the right location or condition but sometimes it’s the potential that can swing it. Tell your agent about neighbours who have extended/added conservatories etc so they can point it out to buyers. We would never have bought our house if the agent hadn’t pointed out the opportunity for a lift conversion- that swung it for us as everything else was right but we needed an extra bedroom! Best decision we made

Make sure the agent has recognised the house's main selling points,
When we were last house-hunting, we very nearly didn't bother going to see the house we subsequently bought.
The agent's photographs were of the gable end with peeling render and a close view of the front where is appeared the house was the end of a long row. Indeed, it was originally the end of a row of cottages in a very rural location with no other houses nearby. However it was converted to a pair of semis. The uninterrupted view to the front was over fields and at the back ran a quiet road, then mature woodlands.
None of this was mentioned, nor the fact it was on a large plot. Extra photos showed floral swirl carpets in empty rooms with sappele doors and very dated kitchen and bathroom. WHY?
We made a mental note not to use that agent if we ever moved, but been here 20 years now with no plans for going anywhere!

Get rid of clutter. This can be hard when you’re living in the house day to day so about half an hour before viewings chuck it in the boot of your car! ?

Not much point in re-decorating as everyone has their own tastes, so if you add new carpets and re-decorate, I find it a waste of money as it is likely to be changed as soon as the buyer moves in.

Unclutter which helps to make the rooms look bigger. Remember, most viewers are probably lacking in imagination & only see what they see!

If you are brave post the details on gransnet and mumsnet and consider the hints and tips that they recommend. This is probably going to be more helpful than asking the EA the same question although brace yourself as the replies may be more refreshingly honest than tactful ?

Cook nice smelling food before people visit

I also dislike artificial "air fresheners" varian. I used to love scented candles until I found that they aggravated DHs asthma, and learned that they the majority are made from paraffin wax and when they burn they pollute the atmosphere with similar emissions to some diesel fumes.

No coffee smells. Lots of people like it but it makes some
people feel nauseous so they would not even come in.

Both homes we have bought were in a complete state when we viewed - full of junk and rubbish, dirty, unloved and dishevelled etc. It didn't put us off as we knew we had to have the vision to see past it and imagine the home we could make it - and we did. Generally the price asked reflects this.

However, if you want to get the best price for your house then I would suggest - clean & tidy, inside and out (outside is important as many people will drive past a property before they decide to view & first impressions count. A welcoming smell is good - coffee or baking or scented candles. No kids or dogs around - not to everyone's taste!

Clean windows inside and out, and be realistic about your sale price.
We looked round a house that just wasn't worth the price that was being asked.... the seller obviously loved their house and had massively overvalued it, and it didn't sell.

Put ours on the market and followed tips from agent. Neutral colours, dont spend a fortune on a new kitchen or bathroom because many people change things and you will not get your investment back, garden tidy and house decluttered.
Making sure photos advertised in the paper or on the internet reflect the best features of the house from your point of view and not just the agents. We have a feature inglenook fireplace which was the thing that sold us on the house 30 years ago was not featured by the agent in the paper. A few quiet words to the agent and that was quickly changed.

Take photos of your house on a lovely summer day when it looks the best, ready to use whenever the time comes to go to market.

Give your home a freshen up by painting the rooms in a natural colour and remove clutter from rooms. The viewers must be able to imagine themselves living in your home so a blank canvas they can make their own is the best way to sell your home.

When ever we have had a house for sale I have always made sure that the approach to the front door has been appealing and the paint work is tidy the porch way displaying a hanging basket with flowers that are not half dead (this has happened to us when viewing).
Decluttering is a given and decor internally touched up throughout the property with everywhere smelling clean.
We have always conducted our own viewings and always let potential buyers to browse around by themselves,we have however always insisted with our Estate Agents not to send us viewers who are not in a position to proceed if they are interested.
One thing very important to do is make sure all relivent paperwork is in order for x-change of contracts there is nothing worse than getting to exchange and not having to planning permission etc for that extention you have had built or the conservatory you have added ( depending on size) these things can hold up a sale or loose a buyer at the final hurdle.

Haha, don't tell the Council you're selling their house (ps I am only joking)

Clear away clutter and have some fresh bread baking in the oven...the smell is so inviting

Get rid of the clutter to give the impression of more space but leave some bits so that the house looks lived in. Kitchen and bathroom must be clean. I once baked scones before a viewing...they were inedible but the smell was lovely and the viewers bought the flat

As a family starting to prepare for moving, I know I need to declutter. If I'm looking at a property I know it would be more attractive.
Also prepare for visits - I never forget years ago visiting a property where I assume they didn't know we were going, or had forgotten. There were things on the bedroom floor, which I don't wish to name, but I had to carefully step over them!!