Selling your property should be like anything else that you are looking to sell, first impressions are everything to a buyer so making sure that your home is in order is a huge must before you even think about marketing your property or letting anyone into your home to view it. And yes, it’s a numbers game in a way – the more people that view your property the more likely you are to achieve a sale.

Little repairs can transform the feel and look of your property, the potential buyers out there will put your house in front of others that they have viewed if they see that there is little or nothing to do in terms of decor and function ability. Of course, many people will look at the property that they are selling and ask themselves, do I really want to spend more money on a place that I no longer want to live in, but this could also be there downfall in their bid to sell their own homes.

Realistically, you don’t have to spend that much money on cleaning, doing odd jobs and organising your home to make it feel more homely, comfortable and pleasing on the eye of potential buyers. Here are just some ideas that we have put up together on a check list for you to have a look at before you ask an estate agent to market your property or for you to go it alone.

Exterior ideas:
- Keep your lawn mowed, raked and watered.
- Tidy up plants / bushes / trees.
- Remove any toys, tools, trash items, etc. from outside your home.
- Place all watering hoses and gardening equipment out of sight.
- Pathways / driveways should be clear of debris.
- Paint mailbox if needed and make sure street number or house name is legible.
- Clean / paint gates, fences, shed, etc.
- Clean, repair and paint all gutters and down pipes.
- Make sure garage door opens and closes with ease.
- Make the front of the property as welcoming as possible.
- Get a second opinion from a friend or neighbour.

Interior suggestions:
- Clean all windows (inside and out).
- Open windows to air your house.
- Make sure the floor is cleaning and clear of dust and smears.
- Clean everything in home from top to bottom (especially the kitchen and bathrooms).
- Never leave dirty dishes in sink.
- Fill and paint any nail holes.
- Make sure all doors are in excellent condition.
- Repair or replace loose wallpaper / a lick of paint never goes a miss – and you can’t go wrong with white as potential buyers see they can paint over white!
- Light a candle before showings to ensure the home smells good.
- Leave lights on when showing to make your property look more bright.
- Clear away any clutter than is unnecessary, arrange furniture and possessions to ensure maximum space.
- Make your home seems user friendly.
- Buy small accessories that do not cost much to make inside more welcoming.

Most of the ideas above do not cost anything. We go to many properties every week – people contacting us to sell their property on the Costa Blanca, however – 80% or more of these home owners do not even bother to sell their property to us making our job even harder selling to a potential buyer. With a small bit of thought – many home owners looking to sell could have already have done so!

If you have anymore ideas that would be good for a seller to do before marketing their property, then feel free to add a comment to the bottom of the page and we will publish them for others to see.