The Spring tends to be a busy time for property but if you’re thinking of selling or letting it can take time to prepare your house so it’s worth planning in advance. As we move towards one of the most active times of year for homebuyers I would like to share my five most important considerations when getting your home ready. Using the following as a guide will put you in a great position compared to other sellers who haven’t put as much thought in. Bearing the following in mind should help you to sell or let as quickly as possible and for the best price.

Remove as much clutter as possible. On average the UK has the smallest homes in Western Europe and a recent study indicated that each square foot of floor space which is freed up could be worth as much as £200 when it comes to selling. Clearing the kitchen of small appliances like blenders and toasters can really help to make it seem bigger and removing ornaments from rooms will help to open them up too. Don’t forget to put coats and shoes away but keep the cupboards neat because buyers will want to see storage space too. Light and space are consistently at the top of most people’s wish lists so think of light (but neutral) colours if you’re repainting and make the most of natural light by opening curtains and blinds wide. You could consider using brighter light bulbs too, especially for shadowy areas. Boost your property’s kerb appeal. Most buyers now start their search for a new home or investment property online. This means the first impression they get of your property will be of how it looks from outside. Just giving the front door and woodwork a good clean can make a huge difference to the way a house looks. Clearing up leaves and litter, moving wheelie bins and taking the car off the drive will all really help make the first photograph people see stand out. Try to imagine you are seeing the property for the first time. How appealing does it look? Make sure the garden is neat. If you have a front or back garden sorting it out is a vital part of giving your house overall appeal. If your fingers aren’t as green as those of your neighbours consider getting somebody out to mow the lawn, remove weeds and tidy up hedges. Caring for your garden shows that you care about your home and have maintained it well.

Clean the house from top to bottom. Again if this is something which will be difficult to do you can always get a cleaning company out to do a one off job. Vacuuming thoroughly is vital. Ideally worn carpets should be replaced but if the carpets are dirty but not worn they will be improved considerably if they are shampooed.

Remember that kitchens and bathrooms sell houses. I’ve already mentioned the kitchen but bathrooms are just as important. In fact a survey by Rightmove found that a dirty bathroom was the single biggest turn off for buyers. Again the key here is making the place look fresh so grab those rubber gloves and a few scrubbing brushes. Try to replace anything that can’t be cleaned and consider upgrading out of date items such as taps and handles.

So there you have it. A little work can make a big difference to the presentation of a property. Most people wouldn’t even think about selling a car without washing it first but we sometimes forget to take the same attitude with our homes. Many of the things I have talked about are relatively quick and easy to do. For example if two similar houses are for sale or let at a similar price but one has some litter on the street outside, an unkempt garden and cluttered rooms it will be far less likely to sell or let as quickly or perhaps even for as much money.

If you’re considering doing some work to a property but are unsure whether it’s worthwhile most good estate agents will be happy to give their opinion as they will know what is selling and letting well in the area.