Your home is one of the biggest financial investments you will make in your lifetime so when you are thinking of moving, you will want to get the best price possible for your property.

Using our extensive property experience, SE Properties has put together a comprehensive list of simple changes you can make to maximise the value of your property before it hits the market.

1) Take a Look Outside

First impressions count – so what impression will a buyer get from your house? Make sure the front garden is tidy, free from weeds and bins hidden. Do you have a window box or plant pots for flowers to give the garden life? Take a look at your front door, make sure it is clean and the doorbell in working order.

2) Declutter

This is one of the cheapest things you can do to add value to your house, it costs nothing. Pick up a bin bag and walk around the house room by room taking your clutter off display. Children’s toys should be tidied away into boxes and overflowing piles of newspapers recycled. If this is an area you struggle with, you can now hire professional declutterer’s to do it for you.

3) The Kitchen is the Heart of the Home

The kitchen is the room that can most influence the sale of the property so take a look at it. Replacing cupboard doors is an affordable way of modernising and refreshing the kitchen. Are the worktops free from clutter? Try removing large appliances to free up space and remove any browning fruit from the fruit bowl.

4) Get Fixing

Do you have broken door handles, wonky cupboards and the light that just won’t work, then get these issues fixed. A series of unrepaired items may lead buyers to wonder what else could go wrong and turn them off the property. We recommend that you make a list of what needs fixing and use a competent and professional person to make the repairs.

5) Carry out a Spring Clean

Get the house looking and smelling great with a really deep clean. Throw open the windows to let the fresh air in and work from top of the house to the bottom. Dust door ledges and skirting boards, polish those windows and hoover under the beds. No where is off limits with a deep clean.

6) Lick of Paint

If you have chipped skirting boards or grubby hand marks on the wall, it might be time for a lick of paint to freshen up the room. Keep it neutral and warm. Claret and blue may work for your football team but it won’t work for potential buyers.

7) Take a Look Down

Take a moment to look down at the flooring, is the carpet looking threadbare or does the pile still feel rich underfoot? If you have wooden flooring does it look tired and in need of a varnish? If the carpet has seen better days, hire a carpet cleaner to give it a new lease of life.

8) Pay Attention to the Bathroom

Whilst a bathroom doesn’t add as much value to the home as the kitchen, it can be a turn off for some buyers. Take a look at the bathroom, does the grout look a bit grubby? New grout and sealant can freshen up a bathroom for minimal cost. Reduce the amount of toiletries on display by introducing clever storage solutions.

9) Room Dressing

Now you have ditched the clutter, a few key lifestyle items left on display can help to dress the room to give it life and personality. Plump up those cushions and introduce a throw to tired sofas. Use only key statement ornaments rather than endless trinkets and keep family photographs to a minimum.

10) Get your Paperwork in Order

And finally, if you’ve installed new windows, do you remember what you did with the FENSA certificates? Do you still have the warranty details for the boiler you had fitted last year? These documents give piece of mind to the buyer and can save you money on the selling process when costly solicitors are involved. Track down these key pieces of information and put them in one easy to use folder ready to pass on to the buyer.