Advice from a leading London luxury estate agent in a challenging property market will make your property stand out. At any time of year, when selling your home, it’s important to seek expert guidance and listen to your agent’s advice. As a seller, you want to maximise your chances of making your property attract attention from perfectly matched buyers, generate viewings that result in offers and achieve a successful sale.

Here are some things you can do to make your property more appealing when it’s on the market without spending large amounts of money.

1. Be Organised When Selling Your Property

When it comes to buying and selling property, time is the enemy; quite simply, the longer it takes to transact, the increased likelihood there is of things going wrong. Ensuring you have all the paper work – instructing your solicitor, obtaining up-to-date local authority searches, copies of planning consents, licence for alterations, lease agreements, service charge accounts, completing Property Information Forms, are all steps that should be taken in advance.

Nothing is more frustrating than having a buyer pressing to exchange contracts but is unable to for entirely avoidable reasons had the sellers been organised. This can make the difference between a speedy sale or creating unnecessary delays that may lead to chain breaking and an abortive transaction.

2. Get Your Property Viewing Ready

To increase your property’s appeal and potential listing price before you get your estate agent round to value, take a thorough objective look around your home. Assess things that need repairing, rooms that require redecoration, tweaks and improvements that can be made and get them done. Imagine the impression a buyer will have when they view your property for the first time.  Be sure to address jobs you have put off, niggling things like a ‘sticky’ door or a loose cupboard handle; wear and tear that is a relatively easy fix, but if left, will give the impression that the property hasn’t been cared for and will put off a buyer when they view your home.

3. Make a Light Bright Home

There are obvious factors to consider – cleanliness, tidiness, de-cluttered spaces, pleasant smells (but not too over-powering with the air-fresheners!); ensuring attractive features are fully visible rather than concealed, making sure that as much natural light comes through your windows. Having a window cleaner regularly clean the outside windows and doors is essential, but so too is having windows cleaned on the inside. It’s surprising what a difference this practical routine will make to the natural flow of light in your home.

4. Invest in Things that Add Practical Style and Declutter

Having carpets and rugs professionally cleaned can transform a room or stairway. If you are a pet owner, try to wash and air their bedding or blankets and throws on sofas and keep food bowls fresh and clean. If you are a family with children, it can be a constant battle trying to keep toys under control or keeping on top of messy teenager’s rooms. This is where you can get clever and be creative with storage – attractive vintage wicker hampers, handmade woven baskets and antique trunks, can all add style to a luxury interior, while doubling up as useful places to stash toys and clutter out of sight for that all-important viewing.

5. Presentation that isn’t too Personalised

As much as some buyers may love a minimalist look, a property should reflect a sense of personality and capture buyers’ hearts and minds. Try to be mindful of presenting your home in a balanced way that still leaves something for the buyer to imagine how they might put their own stamp on the space. For example, endless surfaces covered with family photos, or walls displaying lots of children’s artwork, or large wedding portraits are not to everyone’s taste. A key objective about a viewing, is that it exceeds the agent’s expectations and resonates with the buyer to the point that they can imagine themselves living in the property. As a seller, above all, you need to showcase the way your home works practically with the flow and layout of accommodation; as well projecting an indulgent, comfortable lifestyle.

6. Tidying Up Your Outside Space is a Key Asset to Sell

It’s not just about the inside of your property, if you have any outdoor space – whether it’s a garden, a courtyard, terrace, or balcony – it needs to be looking its very best when the estate agent comes to value your home and before the viewings begin. First impressions are key, when buyers approach the front entrance, they want to see it’s tidy, attractive and cared for.

Now more than ever, a property for sale in a prime London location with any outdoor space is a huge bonus and big selling point. Homes that connect the inside space with the outside are more likely to secure a higher market valuation and command a premium. A thorough tidy-up of your garden can be an inexpensive and very effective way of making your property more appealing. Whereas, an unkempt garden that looks unloved is more likely to give buyers the impression that the property itself is also not well located after and will not create a positive feeling.

Whatever size your property’s outdoor area is, it needs to be well-presented and made to look attractive all year-round. Tired patios and terraces should be pressure-washed, lawns should be neatly mown, hedges and trees regularly pruned to give structure while maintaining privacy and ensuring they do not block natural light coming into the property. Fences should be maintained and replaced where needed, driveways should be weed-free and if gravelled, a fresh layer of stones will instantly add kerb appeal. Planters, pots and container planting can bring instant bursts of colour and interest to all properties. Creating an outdoor space with a relaxing, enticing atmosphere makes buyers envisage themselves there.

It’s not necessarily about the size of the plot, although prime residential addresses in Hampstead, Highgate, Belsize Park, Primrose Hill and St John’s Wood offer a great choice of garden apartments, flats with roof terraces or communal gardens, and generous properties set in large mature private plots; some even having direct access to parks at the end of their garden.

7. Selling your home? Avoid being in the doghouse….

When it comes to selling your home, then if you know your prospective buyer is a dog lover, then have them around. If you’re unsure or your potential buyer is not, then best not to have your dogs at home when they view. The problem is that it’s not a question agents ask buyers in advance, so a rule of thumb is to keep dogs out of the way and preferably not at the property during a viewing.

“Last year I was showing a buyer a mansion house in Highgate. Two large dogs were in the house with a housekeeper, who really gave the buyer and me the impression that she had little control over them. The viewing started well, but the dogs were following us around the house and began to appear particularly unfriendly. Our buyer panicked and closed the door behind them in the principal bedroom, refusing to come out until the housekeeper removed the dogs and let them into the garden. It did not create a hospitable atmosphere and meant the buyer would not go into the garden, which was arguably one of the best features of the property. Our buyers did not buy the house.” Marc Schneiderman, Director, Arlington Residential.