Get Your House Ready to Sell in 2022

Want to get your house ready to sell in 2022? Here are Cairn’s top tips.

The Scottish property market hit new heights in 2021, with demand for property soaring in major cities like Glasgow and Edinburgh. This has led to house prices increasing by 8.8% over the last year – that’s more than the UK average of 6.2%. 

The good news is that this theme has continued in 2022, making it an excellent time for you to put your property on the market. 

Read on to find out how to get your house ready to sell this year. 

Getting your house ready to sell: our top tips

1. Get your property valued

The first step to take when preparing your home for sale is to get it valued. This will tell you its current market value and help you make sure you get the best possible price for your property. 

While you can quickly grab a ballpark figure by comparing your home to similar, nearby properties on the market online, it makes sense to have a valuation carried out by an estate agent with expert knowledge of the local property market. 

2. Arrange a home report

When the time comes to sell your house, you’ll need an official property valuation. This is much more comprehensive and is carried out by a chartered surveyor as part of the home report. 

Since a home report is a legal requirement when selling a property in Scotland, you could face a £500 fine if you press ahead without one. 

The home report is made up of three documents that provide buyers with a clear picture of the property, including its condition, its energy efficiency rating, and other important information such as its council tax band. Compiling a home report can seem daunting; however, a good estate agent will be happy to help you with this.

3. Carry out maintenance

Before your house is truly ready to sell, you’ll need to carry out all essential (and even some non-essential/cosmetic) maintenance. 

Many buyers can be put off a property that requires them to do DIY and could walk away due to even the most minor of issues. 

To avoid a deal falling through due to problems you could have fixed yourself, carry out a maintenance check throughout your property. Spend some time looking for bulbs that need replacing and loose door handles, broken cupboard doors, leaks, or dripping showerheads that need repairing. 

Carrying out those quick fixes now will pay dividends when it comes to selling your home fast and fuss-free.

Following on from the maintenance, it’s time for the 3 Ds: declutter, deep clean, and depersonalise.

4. Declutter

There are plenty of reasons to declutter while you get your house ready for sale, not least because it’ll make moving easier!

But it can also make selling your house easier, too. Once you’ve pared back your possessions and cleared out your junk drawers and overspilling cupboards, your property can start to look bigger. It also shows prospective buyers that your home has plenty of storage space, and it’s easy to keep tidy. 

Start by throwing away or donating as much as possible. Once you’ve done that, consider boxing up and moving more of your belongings into storage while your house is on the market. That way, you get a jump start on the packing, and your home will be primed and ready for viewings.

5. Deep clean

With your home suitably decluttered, it’s time to clean. Really clean. Top to bottom, inside and out, behind the fridge, at the back of cupboards, and especially the oven. 

Serious buyers will want to picture themselves living in your home (and making it their own). If it’s even a little messy, that could influence their decision. 

The good news is, cleaning costs nothing but a bit of elbow grease. But if you want to go the extra mile, you can pay to have your home professionally cleaned before you put it on the market. 

6. Depersonalise

Ever wonder why new build show homes always look so desirable? It’s because you’re essentially buying a nicely styled blank canvas. It lets you see the potential for each room, without overwhelming you with someone’s very particular design taste. 

Ultimately, buyers don’t want to buy your home as is — they want to buy your property and make it their own. You can help them imagine themselves living there by removing some of your personal items dotted around your house. 

Take down family photos, knick-knacks, souvenirs, fridge magnets, kid’s artwork, trophies and certificates, and instead aim for a more neutral look. 

7. Tackle bad odours

With your home clean, organised, and freshly styled, it’s time to tackle one of the more overlooked parts of selling a property: smell. 

Here’s the truth, bad smells can affect sales. You might be “nose blind” to them, but odours from pets, bins, blocked drains, cooking, or smoking will be very noticeable as soon as a prospective buyer walks in. 

Try to neutralise these odours with air fresheners, scented candles, reed diffusers, or even freshly cut flowers. And remember to air out your property regularly while it’s on the market. 

8. Finally, find a reputable estate agent

The last piece of the puzzle is having some expert help in your corner. An experienced estate agent can often be the key to selling your home quickly and successfully. 

Think about asking your agent to install a “Coming Soon” board to kick start enquiries —  however, a good agent will already know who’s looking in your street already.

An estate agent will handle many aspects of the sales process on your behalf. From working out the right price for your home and advising on styling and staging to marketing it effectively to the right buyers, your sale will be in safe hands. 

Your estate agent can also arrange your home report, taking this vital task off your hands. 

If you’re getting your house ready to sell in 2022, get in touch with Cairn. As one of the leading estate agents in Scotland, we can guide you through the sales process. Let us help you sell your property quickly and at the right price.