1. Clear clutter.
2. Keep the kids and pets away from the home when people are viewing the property.
3. Peace and quiet is important so turn off the TV and music during visits by potential buyers.
4. Clean the kitchen and bathrooms.
5. Create pleasant smells such as baking bread, coffee and fresh flowers. Stale tobacco or pet smells turn people off properties.
6. Make sure the house is neither too hot nor cold during viewings.
7. Clean all the windows.
8. Speak about the local good points such as good schools or great restaurants.
9. Spell out the good everyday points such as low utility bills, extra cable TV connections etc.
10. Point out security features such as window locks, spy holes etc. as this will make people feel safe in the home.

Tips on...finding a good Estate Agent

Recommendation:
Ask your friends and family who have sold their homes recently to find out if they were happy with their agent.    They are unlikely to give you bad advice when speaking from experience.

Image:
If the agent’s staff and premises are well presented it’s a good sign of a well run organisation.
Are they professional?

Experience:
Try to deal with senior people because there is nothing better than experience.

Newspaper Advertisements:
Read the newspaper property sections and local papers to see which agents are specialists in your type of home.

Sold Signs:
Check out the local agents track record by looking for ‘sold’ signs in the neighbourhood.

Fees:
How much commission are they charging and what are the extras (e.g. newspaper ads etc)? Will the agent do all the viewings?

Stay in Touch: Keep in contact with your agent.

Information:
Give the agent a fact sheet of the property’s good points. The more they know helps the price they’ll achieve.