Beat the stamp duty holiday deadline and sell your home quickly with these sure-fire tips
With the stamp duty holiday deadline in England, Wales and Northern Ireland now on the horizon, time is running out if you want to sell your home, snap up somewhere else and save yourself thousands.
READ MORE: 29 estate agent tactics to sell your home faster
The stamp duty holiday, which has meant a saving of up to £15,000 for homebuyers, officially ends on 30 June. There will then be a staggered return to previous rates for buyers in England and Northern Ireland, where there'll be no stamp duty to pay on the first £250,000 of a property's purchase price until 1 October.
It's no surprise then that right now it’s a seller’s market, with Google reporting a 200% increase in searches for ‘houses for sale’ over the past two months.
If you want to take advantage of the rise in demand from buyers and the tax cut, then it's important to show off your home in the best light.
To improve your chances of a quick sale, follow these 10 simple steps from Tyrena Dangerfield, head of refurbishment and interiors at estate agents Douglas & Gordon.
1. First impressions count
Don't underestimate the power of kerb appeal when it comes to enticing a buyer – those first impressions of your property are crucial. Make sure that your front door is freshly painted – you could even go one step further and place fresh flowers by the door.
Keep on top of your front garden and generally make the outside of your property look as appealing as possible, with no rubbish, debris or leaves littering the pathway. If people are viewing your house at night, make sure that your garden lighting is working.
2. Organise the kitchen
For many people, the kitchen is the most important room in the house – it’s certainly the most hardworking. It should go without saying that everything should be clean and tidy, but it's important to go beyond the work surfaces.
Declutter your cupboards and organise or even categorise them so prospective buyers can see that there's plenty of functional storage space.
3. Stay on top of general cleaning
As well as a tidy kitchen, just generally keeping a clean home will improve the viewing experience. Open windows to improve airflow and get rid of odours, and maybe even light a scented candle to create a homely, warm environment.
4. Don’t forget to decorate
Freshen up any paintwork and walls – grubby handprints and discoloured marks on the wall don’t leave a good impression for potential buyers. Take a good look at your furniture and décor and give it a spruce up if necessary. Updating something as simple as your soft furnishings can make all the difference!
5. Overhaul your wardrobe
Small, low-cost changes can have a big impact. Nobody wants to see clothes spilling out of a wardrobe, so donate items you don’t wear to charity and keep your wardrobe neat and organised by introducing storage boxes and extra hanging rails if necessary.
New doorknobs can instantly transform dated wardrobe doors too – paying attention to little details will really pay off in the long run.
6. Check your carpets
Few things put people off a house as much as marked or dirty carpets. Have your carpets professionally cleaned or even change them if they're beyond rescue. Tyrena recommends investing in some good 80% wool, 20% nylon carpets, which can generally be sourced for affordable prices.
7. Tidy, tidy, tidy
People don’t want to visit a house that looks too lived in – homely, yes, student digs, no. Make your bed, pull back the curtains, and make sure you tidy away clothes, toys and other belongings.
If you leave too many things lying around, your prospective buyers might think there’s a lack of storage space, not to mention they'll likely struggle to imagine themselves living in a space strewn with someone else's personal items.
8. Get green-fingered
Outside space is really important to homebuyers, particularly after the events of the past year and a half. Prior to viewings, remember to tidy up your garden, weed flowerbeds, jet-wash patios and decking and remove any broken chairs or pots.
Consider bringing in some vibrant plants to brighten things up or investing in a new bistro set. You'll be surprised by how much a few tweaks can transform your outdoor space!
9. Minimise personal possessions
When you’re looking at a home with a view to buying it, you want to consider the space and how you and your family would fit in it.
Too many personal photos or belongings can be overwhelming and distracting, plus they can prevent a homebuyer from imagining themselves living in your house.
10. Mantelscaping
This last tip from Tyrena is simple, yet so effective: make your mantelpiece an appealing focal point with beautiful, thoughtful decorations.
Keep things streamlined and sophisticated rather than cluttered. A few statement candles or a couple of plants or succulents are often all that's needed to create a stylish display.
Need more home styling tips to entice buyers?
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Featured image: Willy Barton / Shutterstock