Selling your home can be a daunting and stressful experience. Several things can put a potential buyer off and decrease their offer by thousands of pounds. Simple things can significantly devalue your property and can usually be fixed in under 48 hours.
In fact, 43% of potential buyers said they would not view a property that looked dirty in photos. A staggering 61% of buyers said they would lower their offer if the home weren’t clean. You could lose up to £10000 because your property is messy and cluttered.
There are also ways to add value to your home. A self-contained annexe will add the most value to your home, at £14385. A loft conversion can add £12951, and a kitchen extension has the potential to add £11541.
You could also opt for more minor improvements to add value to your home. Invest in fitted wardrobes to create a chic, minimalist atmosphere in your bedroom.
Kirsty Oakes, Head of Product and Marketing at Hammonds Furniture, said: “We all have something in mind when we begin a search for our next home, but there are certain features that for many people could be an absolute dealbreaker. However, some of these features are surprisingly quick and simple to amend if you are looking to sell your house.
“If you’re selling, you can make your house look much more appealing by making some small changes, such as filling in holes in the wall or switching to a neutral colour pallet. A deep clean can make a huge difference to how your property is perceived, and well as clearing away extra clutter.”
Bad smells in your home can reduce its value by £8947. Remove any rubbish from the kitchen, unclog the drains and remove all expired food from the kitchen. If there is a persistent smell in the fridge, use a baking soda box to absorb filthy odours. To clean your dishwasher quickly, place a cup of white wine vinegar in the machine and put it on a wash.
However, signs of damp and mould pose the biggest threat to your home’s value. Significant signs of damp and mould could devalue your home by a whopping £9571. 62% of people would be put off by mould and damp.
If mould is a surface issue in your property due to poor ventilation and old windows, use warm water and bleach to scrub it away. Apply an anti-fungal treatment and open your windows regularly to prevent further growth.
Cover any cracks in your walls with plaster and paint. For the more significant gaps, use filler to present a clean and smooth finished property. Cracks in the walls can devalue your home by £9495. If the damages are too severe for surface repairs, seek professional advice to ensure your home is safe to live in.
Make sure to remove any rubbish from your front garden to create a tidy, bigger space. If you have large amounts of debris from moving out, hire a local removals service to get rid of it.
