Port Marine Design not only creates beautiful interior designs, it also de-clutters and neutralises homes to make them more appealing to potential buyers on the open market. Research has proven a home that is professionally staged can realise between 5% and 15% more than a home which retains that "lived in look" Feel free to follow these top ten tips or better still, give us a call and we will arrange a no obligation consultation.
1. You need to present your house so that it will appeal to the broadest possible buying audience. The trick is to ensure that they can imagine themselves living there as soon as they walk in.
2. Clear the clutter. Mess all too easily becomes familiar junk
which we are used to having around. It makes rooms look smaller and
sends unhelpful messages to your buyers. Tidy away family photos and
books. If you can't find space to store the less personal stuff,
take as much as possible to the nearest dump.
3. Elbow grease can add more value to your house than almost
anything else. Clean, clean and clean some more. The kitchen and
bathroom are the two most important rooms, but don't stop there.
Dust every surface, ornament and lampshade you possess.
4. Make sure all entrances are uncluttered, warm and welcoming. Mark
the path to your front door with potted plants on either side. Make
sure the doors open properly and aren't hampered by a row of coats
or muddy boots behind. Check that furniture doesn't stop any of the
internal doors from opening or shutting properly.
5. Potential buyers won't be able to visualise themselves living in
your home if the walls are bright, patterned or just plain ugly.
Paint them in light, neutral colours. You can introduce splashes of
colour with rugs, cushions, throws, table runners and flowers.
6. You can make a world of difference to a dark entrance hall with a
strategically placed mirror. Carefully positioned, it will add space
and maximise the available light. Ensure that it is hung at eye
level.
7. Do all those little jobs round the house that you've always meant
to finish. If you don't know what you're doing, get someone in who
does. Broken window catches, a front door bell that doesn't work or
half-finished shelves convey an air of neglect and signal to a
potential buyer that there may be other, more significant aspects of
the house that have been left undone.
8. Ensure that every room has a clear function and purpose. Play up
the existence of a dining room by clearing away all the children's
homework and games. A third bedroom could be a bedroom, a study or a
dressing room, but not all three at once. Organise some storage
systems so that the principal function of the room they're in
remains clearly defined.
9. A carpet that is dark or heavily patterned dominates a room and
makes it seem smaller. Replace carpets that are old, worn or just
dirty. This may seem an unnecessary expense, but it will lift the
appearance of the room and your buyers won't be imagining the extra
cost of replacing the carpet themselves.
10. Be ruthless when it comes to dealing with your pets. It's easy
to get used to their smell - so ask a friend to be brutally honest
with you. Does your house smell? Before each viewing eliminate
unpleasant smells and banish pets to a willing friend's while you
are showing people round. Get rid of pet hair too - brush and vacuum
until you're sure it's gone.