Sell Your House In Summer
Nine Tips for Success

Sunshine and garden flowers may help sell your house this summer but there is plenty you should be doing if you want to present your house at its best. If you hope to sell this summer in an uncertain market you need to take care of the details that will encourage potential home buyers to take an interest in your property. You need your house to be clean, tidy and smelling fresh.

Here are nine tips to help your chances of getting a sale.

1. Keep your lawn in good condition. Patches of parched brown grass on the lawn ruin the appearance of the garden, so water your lawn to keep grass as fresh and green as possible. If you have an ugly brown patch why not place some patio furniture on top of it.

2 Since it's summer you can open windows without making the house feel chilly. Take advantage of the summer weather to let in fresh air. Musty rooms smell unpleasant and make people want to leave before they have even had a chance to look around. Be sure to open windows to all the rooms.

3 The first impression buyers get of the inside of your home is the one they get as they walk into the entrance hall of the house. You do not want it to be seen to be full of hanging coats with an overflowing shoerack. If it’s cluttered, the first impression of the house is unwelcoming, rather than inviting. Remove unnecessary items and de-clutter the entrance hall. Make it feel enticing with a vase of flowers on the hall table so potential buyers want to see more of your home.

4 Make sure your home smells nice. Unpleasant odours are very off-putting and while the home vendor may be used to them, potential buyers are not likely to be so tolerant. A home that smells fresh and clean is off to a flying start when it comes to attracting a buyer.

5 Make your rooms look as big as possible by removing unnecessary furnishings and taking away clutter. The tidier the better.

6 Make sure every room is laid out to show its proper purpose e.g. the dining room should be furnished as a dining room with dining table and chairs and not as a play room for the children. If a bedroom is being used as a study remove the home office equipment and store it away out of sight when viewings are to be held.

7 Brighten up any dark areas with a table lamp, although it's not a good idea to put on every light in the house if they are not needed. If you do, potential buyers may wonder if there is a lack of natural light. And make sure you clean grubby light switches because they are normally in a prominent position and they will be spotted.

8 Don't forget your windows. People tend to be attracted towards windows especially in summer when they can look out on to your b eautiful garden. Clear junk off window sills and give tham a good wipe. Get a window cleaner to clean windows inside and out and make sure the glass is clear and sparkling. Keep curtains pulled back to let as much light into rooms as possible.

9 Make sure pets are out of the way when potential buyers visit and that all signs of them are removed. The potential buyer does not want to see half eaten bowls of pet food on the kitchen floor, or little items left on the lawn.

Follow these tips to help sell your house this summer and give yourself a real advantage.