When you want to make that lifestyle change and have decided to move, you have probably done your research. This could have taken a lengthy period of time and involved visiting different parts of the country. As a result, you may have found your dream property and need to sell quickly. One thing that often gets overlooked when moving is DIY and property maintenance. Especially if you have lived in a property for a long period time it is easy to not notice little niggles or even more major issues. Life gets in the way and you never get round to it. When you come to sell, however, be aware, your buyers WILL notice. Why is it so important? If buyers see minor things that need attention they may question how well the property has been maintained and wonder if they aren’t going to encounter more serious defects. Whilst little niggles may not put them off they will be mentally deducting the potential costs of repairs when calculating any offer (and likely over estimating such costs) and if there are an accumulation of little things they may decide it’s too much. So I have a few tips for avoiding the DIY trap.
Assess
The first thing to do is simply walk round the interior and exterior of your property and take a good hard look. Pretend that you are a potential buyer having a viewing and determine to be highly critical. You could even consider getting a friend to do it with you or for you. Make a note of every little issue. For example, for one project, I checked all the lights and replaced bulbs that weren’t working, replaced a door chain and replaced a catch on a wardrobe door. Other common issues are doors or drawers that don’t close properly, a dripping tap. Make a list and prioritise. Some tasks wiil be a quick 5 minute job whereas others may take a little longer
Getting Jobs Done
Having prepared your list then it’s time to get stuck in. However, before you start, it’s worth considering each job in turn – is it something that you can easily do yourself or is it something that you are better getting a handyman or professional in to tackle. If what is at issue is an unfinished DIY project then the fact that it’s unfinished could a clue that it’s a good idea to get someone in to do it for you. Bear in mind when undertaking jobs that you want the job doing properly, a botched job is a big turn off for buyers.
Finishing Off
Once the actual task has been completed, depending on what it was, there may be a need for some residual action. For example, if you have replaced a skirting board or had a damp patch treated the skirting or wall may need painting. If you have a broken handle on a kitchen cupboard door and it needs replacing you may have to replace all the handles. Replacing handles is a very easy and cost effective way of sprucing up a kitchen, if you don’t want to replace them all then having one style on all the doors and another on all the drawers can work. Ensure that you have cleaned up afterwards – if you have replaced light bulbs then take the opportunity to wipe down the shades.
To conclude, when selling you need to work out if there are any jobs, big or small, that require fixing, get those jobs done whether you do it yourself or get someone in and finally make sure everything is finished off neatly.
Need help getting your property ready to sell? Call me on 07745 886182 or e mail me at judith@homestyle4u.com. I cover the Wirral, Cheshire and the North West
