Your property is an asset that you need to capitalize on when you sell it. It may seem like a no-brainer, but the presentation of your property is of the utmost importance when showing it to potential buyers. Presentation is not only important when it is physically shown to buyers, but also when your property is displayed in real estate agents’ windows or on the internet. Try to take photos of your property on a sunny day, when your property is shown in good light. As any good photographer will tell you, evenings or early mornings on a sunny day is a good time to take a photo of your property as the sun is lower in the sky and the light is more flattering.

The interior of the property can be modernized and made to look more attractive for a relatively small amount of money. For example, a new bathroom suite costs less than a thousand pounds, but it can make the difference between a sale at asking price or an offer that may be significantly less than the cost of installing the bathroom suite in the first place. In effect, the cost of installing the new bathroom is adding value and convenience. It is important to whet the buyer’s appetite and create the feeling of desire for a good presentation. A good example of this is when you were younger and you just had to have something, for example an ipod, a doll or a car. This is the feeling we aim to elicit from potential buyers: a feeling of “I really have to have that house no matter what.”

Another key area for selling property is of course the kitchen, often referred to as the heart of a home. Again, the simple act of taking a dilapidated old kitchen and updating it to a more modern contemporary design can add a lot of value and curb appeal to a property. This does not necessarily have to cost the earth. A good and inexpensive way to modernize a kitchen or bathroom is to simply change the faucets, drains and fixtures i.e. towel rails, cabinet pulls, soap dishes etc. These can often be purchased at DIY stores during sales and promotions for quite a low price. Try to match the styles of faucets and handles between the kitchen and bathrooms so that they create a more harmonious feel. For example, installing modern contemporary faucets in the kitchen and vintage Georgian faucets in the bathroom can have a subtle fragmentation effect. We want to create a feeling of unity and harmony in the property.

Another good idea to increase the feeling of harmony is to replace all the carpets in the property with a neutral carpet color such as beige or alternatively use laminate. This will tie all the rooms in the property together giving a modern and contemporary feel.

Smell is another item to put at the top of our list when presenting our property. Imagine going to see a fantastic property that ticks all of our boxes except that it smells like a dog or some other strong, unpleasant odour. It really is unpleasant, so make sure there is a neutral smell by opening doors and windows before a visit or use a mild air freshener. Scented candles are good for this, but don’t go overboard with spray-type air fresheners, as they can be a bit overpowering and can give the impression that you’re trying to hide a scent.

When showing people your property, try to show them the best features last. For example, if you have an indoor pool with a wonderful view over the neighboring countryside, show them the latter. We want our viewers to leave the property with the best possible feature of our property firmly embedded in their memories.