The time comes in all our lives when we have to say goodbye to a well-loved home. Often, however, that’s at the end of a long process of paperwork and negotiations.
One huge obstacle between deciding to put your house on the market and actually moving is getting someone else to fall in love with your home.
Luckily, there are tricks you can take advantage of to display your home to its best advantage.
A survey by Right Move suggests you can get 8% more for your house if you style it for viewers.
There are experts in this field if you’re serious about improving the value of your home, but the good news is there are a few simple tweaks you can make to a tired bathroom to make it shine again.
Kitchens and bathrooms are one of the areas house viewers pay most attention to during a viewing.
It’s essential your bathroom sparkles before you let anyone into your home because it’s associated with cleanliness and relaxation.
What’s more, it can be expensive to replace a bathroom, and once a new home owner has gone to all the expense of moving into a new property, they’re often strapped for cash, meaning lengthy home décor projects are put on hold.
They need a functioning bathroom and they need it now – and preferably one that’s seen a paint brush since the 1970s.
No-one said any bathroom needs to be replaced. Not yet, anyway. We’re talking about freshening the space up with these inexpensive ideas.
One obvious way to instantly update your bathroom look is with a fresh coat of paint. Ceilings can collect condensation, leading to unsightly black spots or mildew, and after a while the paint can begin to flake.
Satin paint can work well for resisting moisture on ceilings and semi-gloss paints can cope well with wet walls. These paints are also able to withstand the fluctuating temperatures in the bathroom.
Every so often you need to reseal around the bathtub where it joins the wall. Over time, it can start to gather mildew. While we get used to this in our own homes, other people notice it straightaway and it can leave a negative impression. Ensure you apply a new coat of seal to make the space look as good as new.
As with your bath sealant, grout can begin to look mouldy very quickly if not maintained. Fortunately, a mixture of bicarbonate of soda, vinegar and an old toothbrush can revitalise your tiles if you’re willing to put in some elbow grease. You can also purchase a grout eraser to save time.
www.goodhousekeeping.com/uk/house-and-home/household-advice/a674117/how-to-clean-grout/
If you want to avoid this in your new home, check out our SMO™ wall panel alternatives that are extra hygienic and easy to maintain.
Chrome taps dull over time, but with regular dusting using a microfibre cloth, you can preserve the sheen. Baking soda and lemon help lift any limescale that’s collected around the taps.
Shiny taps may not seem so important, but the wow-factor is undeniable.
According to Vileda, the cleaning firm, 95% of viewers will check out the windows, so make sure they are gleaming and bright. Also dust and repaint your window ledge and keep items to a minimum.
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/property/online-estate-agent/what-people-look-for-when-viewing-house/
There are very good reasons to keep a few stained towels at home – if you dye your hair and don’t want to ruin the good towels, or if you have a dog that loves to run through puddles, you won’t be using the Egyptian cotton ones to dry it off.
However, visitors want a more idealised vision of what their life could be like in your home, so we recommend hiding away the day-to-day towels and keeping a batch just for viewings. Why not choose a fun accent colour and make a feature out of them?
Likewise, any soap slivers or old toothbrushes need to be thrown away. Viewers are put off by too many personal effects and clutter, so only keep a few belongings out for aesthetic purposes.
Whether it’s your overhead lighting or your mirror lighting, replace any dead bulbs so visitors can experience the full effect of the ambience. People don’t like observing snags during a house viewing, and they love a good light show, so why not give them one?
You may be tempted to hide all your old razors and empty shower gel bottles in the drawers under the sink, but this may be a mistake. People love to look at all available storage to get an impression of the space they have at hand. This means they may have a nose in your bathroom units. Make sure you neaten up the cupboard and drawer contents to make them more inviting.
Bathroom plants and reed diffusers make your bathroom smell fresh and clean and this is the lasting impression we want. For a few pounds at your local supermarket, you can invest in a variety of essential oils that purify the air. You’ll also benefit from the unique properties of these aromas when relaxing in the shower yourself, so it’s worth a small investment.
With these tips, you’ll have a bathroom you’ll be able to enjoy so much, you may not want to move!
