Are You Ready For A Spring Fling?

Are you ready for a spring fling?

It may not feel like it just yet but spring will soon be upon us! We’ve all heard the old saying that spring is the time for a fresh start, new life and new beginnings, but is it really the best time to get on the market and sell your house?

Well we’ve done a little digging into the facts and figures and the answer is YES!

And….No.

It’s true that spring often means a new start, a new job and maybe a new home for hundreds of thousands of people and according to Rightmove statistics some 30% of all new listings added to the portal throughout the year are uploaded in spring. When you consider the amount of Bank Holiday dates throughout the spring period this is a substantial number!

But it does mean that with the market gearing up, potential buyers are going to be faced with an influx of new property to choose from, more choice for your buyers means more competition for you! Luckily, with the evenings drawing out and the days getting milder (hopefully) there’s more time to carry out the three P’s…Prep, Prep and Prep!!!!

With that in mind we have compiled a short list of 5 simple ways to prepare your home for a spring fling and hopefully have you sold and firing up the BBQ in your new home before the summer is out!

1. Grab a paint brush

Whilst redecorating your property from top to bottom may be expensive and time consuming, painting a feature wall in the reception room or kitchen is an easy way to freshen up any space and provide a focal point for potential buyers, plus it will look great on those all-important photos for your marketing material and internet listing.

It’s best to avoid bold colours or designs that can date too quickly, subtle shades of pale blue, greens and yellows are considered to be easier on the eye and add a touch of freshness to any space. Whilst the paint brushes are out why not give the wood work a once over? Fleshly glossed window sills and skirting boards look great and can really lift a room. For inspiration, why not check out Pintrest to see what’s trending? Have a look at this property which has recently come to the market, it has just been redecorated throughout and we feel the owners have done a fantastic job!

2. Don’t neglect the gardening.

You may have a three acre plot or a more compact patio space, but whatever the scale of your garden, it can always be made more appealing by a bit of green fingered magic! You don’t have to be Monty Don to make a difference and simple jobs such as keeping lawns mowed, clearing paths of leaves and winter detritus, pruning bushes and giving paving a slabs a good jet wash can all do wonders for your garden. Just having a general tidy up can open up any garden space and if you really want to dazzle those all-important viewers, you can replace and paint any fencing that might have weathered over winter, freshen up and repair decking and add outside lighting to create an outdoor space that will add value in the minds of your potential buyers. On so many of the viewings that we attend, potential purchasers ALWAYS point out garden work and the perceived expense in both time and money as a concern when comparing property. Check out these stunning Derbyshire gardens for inspiration and have a look at this Ideal Homes article, it really shows what you can achieve with even a smaller garden space!

 3. Bring a bit of spring in!

With all the new life bursting up from the ground and the beautiful colours replacing the drab, cold greys of winter, why not liven up your living space with some seasonal spring flowers and plants? Bringing in a touch of the outside can make any room instantly more appealing and adding a splash a colour is sure to pique the interest of those all-important potential purchasers. As well as looking good house plants have been proven to have beneficial properties supporting health and wellbeing by improving air quality and helping us breath more easily. Well placed plants can be used as a great accessory to showcase your home to its best, so bring in those plants and flowers, not only will they look great on viewings but they will add a touch of style to your property pictures too! Have a look at this interesting article which gives great hints and tips about how to use plants and flowers to really make a room stand out from the crowd!

4. Gives those windows a clean.

As the weather warms up and the days get longer, you’ll be wanting to pull those curtains open and let in some of that lovely light that’s been missing over the winter months. We know that light and airy rooms can impress potential buyers but grimy windows certainly won’t! Whilst it may sound like basic advice, getting a window cleaner to visit or tackling the job yourself can really boost your properties curb appeal! Don’t neglect those fascias and sills either, you’ll be glad when your home is filled with bright spring light and is the most attractive property in the area!

5. Spruce up your soft furnishings and breathe new life into your rooms.

Sagging sofas and messy beds aren’t going to cut it when you’re thinking of attracting a buying for your home. But with a little bit of planning you can dress your home for sale with the minimum of money and effort. Stocking up on a few throws from Ikea, adding some new plump cushions and bed linen can make all the difference in lifting a room. Take a cue from some of the new home builders, they always have great photos taken of their new properties and they make sure that each room is dressed to impress! Check out these stunning homes in Crich for examples of how to get your home looking stylish and tasteful this spring!

So there you have it! Our 5 top tips to get you sold this spring!

Some standout numbers from Rightmove show that on the 29^th of March 2018, 8,227 new listings were added to Rightmove, the highest for a single day for over 4 years! And that the last week of April is consistently one of the busiest weeks for new listings, so get prepped, get on the market and get sold!

For more expert advice about marketing your property and to get your free valuation, just contact your local Hannells branch, or click the link HERE.