How to prepare your house for the 2016 market

9th December 2015

How to prepare your house for the 2016 market

Although the Brighton market is broadly unseasonal, January is a busy time for property wherever you are. The New Year means new starts, and Boxing Day is the annual peak for online traffic on property websites.

That means there's no better time than now to get your house together for 2016. So where should you start?

Renovate and repair

The better state the house is in, the better the chance of getting a good price. Aesthetically it's more appealing, but it also means potential buyers have to do less work to imagine it as their home – the more work they imagine having to do, the less they will want to buy, especially if the asking price is high.

It's not worth replacing kitchen units or buying a new bathroom suite, but simple renovations like replacing the kitchen door and drawer fronts can make a world of difference. And it's well worth making all those repairs you've been putting off for years.

Decorate, declutter and clean

For the same reasons, a lick of paint, a clearing out and stringent cleaning will go a long way towards attracting buyers.

Of course they'll have to do it all themselves should they buy the place, but humans are simple creatures, and it's easier to like something that's immediately alluring than to grind mental gears to get there.

Get round to gardening

You only get one chance to make a first impression. Don't neglect the outside in your quest to dress the inside up. Keep the garden in good condition. Clean the steps. Paint the door. Sweep up leaves.

People are quick to make judgements, and they start when walking up the driveway.

Get the best price

Focus on getting the best price – talk to two or three agents but don’t let yourself be lured into going with the highest valuation.

When a property goes on the market for more than it’s worth, there is a danger of actually losing out – it becomes more difficult to sell, falls stagnant on the market and then loses an amount of its asking price, which could actually take it to less than it was originally worth.

Our strategy is to value the property correctly and then put all of our energy into marketing the property to ensure a smooth and successful sale and to get the seller the best deal possible.

Choose an estate agent

Which brings us to the final step – choosing an agent to represent you. You need an honest agent, with strong local knowledge who isn't just out to make a quick sale at all costs (unless you are). Qualities we at Maslen pride ourselves on.

For more tips on selling your house, have a look at our essential seller's guide.

Testimonials

  • Exceptional service throughout the process - should we decide to sell in the future we wouldn't hesitate to use your agency. You're a cut above the...

    Ms Windels & Mr Barham Fiveways

  • Very good service and communication. Paula was excellent.

    Mr & Mrs Scarboro 1 Pevensey Road

  • Compared to your rivals, your service was excellent

    Ms McGrigor Milner Road

  • Great service, always polite and friendly. Excellent contact and info all the way.

    Mr Wells Bishops Road

  • The staff were very helpful, an excellent service. I would recommend you to others.

    Miss Hockly Fiveways

  • Excellent customer service throughout. I will definitely recommend you, and use you again. Thank you.

    Ms Longley Kingsbury Street

  • Very impressed with all dealings with Maslen. Paula Carter was in particular very knowledgeable and helpful. 

    Mr McBlane Hove

  • I have bought and sold 7 properties, and this was the best experience of an estate agents services I have found.

    Mrs Shepherd Hertford Road

  • Good team. Straightforward. No nonsense.

    Mr Standing Newmarket Road

  • In February 2016 I was looking to buy and sell very rapidly. Competition among buyers at the time was very high. Sharon @ the Woodingdean branch sh...

    Ms Helen Lyons Woodingdean

  • I was new to the area and viewed a lot of properties with a lot of different agents. Maslens were by far the best I came in contact with, so when i...

    Mr & Mrs Heer Lewes Road

  • I wish we had used you to sell our property! Nice to meet honest people, who are genuinely interested in helping. Very pleased.

    Mrs Porter Taunton Road

  • Many thanks to Nick. It was an easy process thanks to you! I'm extremely satisfied with how the sale went, great job.

    Ms Mayanobe Aymer Road

  • Very professional service. Thank you!

    Miss New & Mr Jackson Buller Road

  • Very happy with the service we got from you guys, everyone we dealt with was extremely friendly, professional and helpful. Thanks!

    Mr Brown Titian Road

  • A good team at Woodingdean helped us through a stressful time.

    Mr & Mrs Penton Sycamore Close

  • Thanks for an excellent service. 

    Mr King Hove

  • It was a long, drawn out process that the people at Maslen helped me through, without the impression that it was a chore. So extremely professional...

    Mr McLagan Lewes Road

  • A very positive experience - I had most contact with the Fiveways office and they were so friendly and helpful.

    Ms A King Balfour Road

  • I would recommend Maslen to anyone. 

    Mrs Tripp Woodingdean

  • Excellent service as always

    Mr Field Ringmer Road

  • Ben was particularly enthusiastic and helpful. Martin, Paula, Sam and Will are all hard workers.

    Ms Goodey Franklin Road

  • An efficient, professional and friendly service. Helpful and a pleasure to do business with.

    Mr Beddington Brading Road

  • A completely painless experience from start to finish. Thank you.

    Mr Woolven & Mrs Bessant-Woolven Lewes Road

  • Paul Wilkinson was extremely helpful and efficient. The only problem was the vendors solicitor and Paul warned me of this. A good transaction all r...

    Mr Lavender Fiveways

  • From start to finish the sale was dealt with in a thoroughly professional manner.  

    Mr Gibbs Lewes Road

  • Very helpful and patient team.

    Mrs Shea Selborne Place

  • All very professional, kept updated throughout. Very pleased - Would recommend. 

    Mrs Hammond Hove

  • All the staff I dealt with were excellent. Sharon worked really hard to complete the sale.

    Mrs Bent Falmer Gardens

  • Very pleased with the excellent service throughout. Professional, friendly, efficient and no hard sell. Achieved above asking price. Thank you!

    Mr Witten Lewes Road

  • Our local office manager, Sharon Wareham was warm and friendly and kept us up to date at all times.

    Mr Hope The Brow

  • Already recommended you! Thank you.

    Mr Edwards The Ridgway

  • Very pleased with the experience. I would definitely recommend you and use you again.

    Ms D Edmonds Horton Road

  • A very committed team who made the sale process very easy.

    Ms Rees Ticehurst Road

  • Excellent service from the Lewes Road branch. Martin Timms secured a quick sale & at a good price & Paula Carter worked really hard to secure...

    Ms Schulte Bear Road

  • Hugely impressed with Ben & his team.

    Mrs Mead Upper Lewes Road

  • Thank you. We found all the staff knowledgeable and really pleasant to deal with. 

    Ms Ansloos Lewes Road

  • Superb service as usual, I would always recommend you.

    Ms S Hike Blackthorn Close

  • Excellent communication and advice throughout. It felt very reassuring to be in good hands.

    Mrs Brooker Buller Road

  • Sharon was excellent, she kept us informed at all stages and was a really calming objective influence in the process.

    Ms Frederick Channel View Road

  • Outstanding service from Sharon. James is an asset to Maslens & Harvey was so helpful and polite.

    Ms Cianchetta Selhurst Road

  • Paula was absolutely amazing!

    Mr & Mrs MacKay Lewes Road

  • The sale was dealt with swiftly, professionally and successfully. Thank you Maslen!

    Mrs Lincoln Hove

  • Very pleased with the service. Many thanks to Sharon and the boys!

    Mr Flynn Woodingdean

  • As always, an excellent service. 

    Mr & Mrs Field Lewes Road

  • Thank you for everything!

    Ms Tucker Willow Close

  • Quality advice about when and how to sell, which was spot on. Thank you.

    Miss Coleman Buller Road

  • Excellent Service from start to finish.

    Mr T Mole Cromwell Road

  • A really good experience.

    Mr Tibble Lewes Road

  • Cannot express our appreciation enough of all the efforts made by the Woodingdean team - they were fantastic.

    Mr John Mogridge Woodingdean

  • Sharon was excellent - kept us well informed, thank you so much!

    Ms Waters Cowley Drive

  • All agents at Maslen were extremely helpful and polite from the beginning to the completion of sale. 

    Mr Johnson Fiveways

  • Very, very happy we chose you, felt right from the start! Thank you!

    Miss Blackadder Coniston Court, Holland Road

  • The whole team were excellent, each one of them felt like family. Sharon had a lot of sorting to do at times but coped very well, a true profession...

    Mr Vernon Woodingdean

  • Very comprehensive and professional. Nice people to work with and highly recommended. 

    Mr Alderton Ladysmith Road

  • I found the service to be courteous, friendly and efficient.

    Mr Upton Buller Road

  • Nick and Paula are total stars! They were incredibly supportive and present throughout. Thank you!

    Miss O'Haire Hove

  • Graham Griffin provided us, and continues to provide us, will all-round excellent advice. We trust his knowledge and expertise.

    Mr Blackmore & Ms O'Sullivan Financial Services

  • The Woodingdean team were very friendly and approachable.

    Mrs Palmer Pitt Gardens

  • Thanks David, all very professional.

    Mrs Flowers Foxdown Road

  • Very impressed with the efficient and friendly service, the staff were a pleasure to deal with. 

    Mr & Mrs Gill Lewes Road

  • Very thorough & very informative.

    Mr Michnowicz Waldegrave Road

  • Sharon, Harvey and James were all excellent - very professional. Totally opposite to what I have experienced with other agents. Maslen have restore...

    Ms Lyons Woodingdean

  • Sold within 2 weeks for asking price "excellent!"

    Mr Grundy Bishops Road

  • Paula's role was brilliant. Having someone office based and available was so appreciated and her promptness an impressive service - every Estate Agent...

    Ms Wynn-Jones Baxter Street

  • Best Agents in Brighton.

    Mrs Field Tarner Road

  • Best Estate Agents ever experienced - professional, approachable, competent and exemplary. 

    Mr & Mrs Guest Riley Road

  • Paul was absolutely brilliant. 

    Mrs Tasker Fiveways

  • The whole team were very committed from start to finish.

    Mr Pilgrim Lewes Road

  • Harvey was helpful and easily reachable at the beginning of the process and Sharon kept us informed and was always happy to help.

    Ms Murch & Ms Mapa Ticehurst Road

  • It was an amazing experience, everyone involved were fantastic. 

    Mr & Mrs Knight Woodingdean

  • Very impressive - professional and friendly, both Martin Timms and Paula Carter were excellent at keeping in contact with sensible advice based on...

    Mrs O'Connor Hove

  • Service exceeded my expectations overall at all stages of the process - I wouldn't hesitate to recommend you. Thanks. 

    Ms Greene Lewes Road

  • Ben and Paula were calm and reassuring throughout a very difficult process!

    Ms Easterbrook Bear Road

  • We were very impressed with the Nick from start to finish. 

    Mr & Mrs Smith Lewes Road

  • We were very pleased with services provided by the Fiveways office.

    Mr & Mrs Sawyer Shaftesbury Road

  • Sharon was amazing! She kept us up to date the whole way through the process. We cannot fault Sharon or the rest of her team. 

    Mr & Mrs Ashley Woodingdean

  • Please thank Paula at Lewes Road - Excellent service. 

    Mr & Mrs Nuthall Lewes Road

  • Paula was fabulous and we felt really informed and supported. 

    Mr & Mrs Walker Lewes Road

  • First class service. Friendly and professional.

    Mr Thorne The Avenue

  • We were delighted with the service received from all the staff with whom we had contact,

    Dr Crichton The Ridgway

  • Thank you Paul and Archie, you gave an excellent service, as well as Kelly. I look forward to working with you again. 

    Mr White Fiveways

  • Very impressed with the service. Sharon Wareham works tirelessly, very professionally and is always there for advice. 

    Miss Matthews Kipling Avenue

  • You were amazingly helpful throughout - a real pillar of strength with a very difficult sale.

    Mrs Parkin Fiveways

  • The team worked very hard over a long period to ensure my sale went through - excellent service!

    Mr Patrick Gladstone Terrace

  • Sharon and her team could not have done more in what was a difficult sale. 

    Ms Daly Woodingdean

  • Fantastic service. By far the best agents we have ever used, I cannot recommend you highly enough.

    Mr Field Mafeking Road

  • First class service from a first class team.

    Mr & Mrs English The Ridgway

  • Thank you Maslens, you were all excellent!

    Miss Jasper Taunton Road

  • Brilliant. Well done to Sharon and the Woodingdean team.

    Ms Curtis The Ridgway

  • Paula is amazing!

    Ms Aspnall Gladstone Place

  • Maslens as a whole were really friendly and professional. I have to thank and congratulate Paula Carter for being superb at her job and exceeding m...

    Ms Warren Hove

  • We cannot recommend Maslen's estate agents enough.

    Many thanks to Paul, Donna, Janette and the...

    Linda & Les Wigmore Close

  • Extremely efficient. Nick and Paula are excellent. The weekly phone calls were much appreciated. 

    Ms Gray Lewes Road

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