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Mirage Designs will advise you on how to present your property for sale either before or at any time during the marketing period, so as to show your home in its best possible light to potential buyers in order to secure that all important sale.
Front Garden 
Has your house got kerb appeal? First impressions really do count. A large percentage of potential buyers drive past because the front of the property is poorly presented.
- Place potted plants either side of your front door. It adds a welcoming feel.
- Remove all unsightly bins or rubbish cluttering the garden. Take to the tip.
- Where possible leave a free parking space so potential buyers can park easily.
- If paintwork looks shabby, a coat of white paint will brighten up any entrance.
- Remove any personal effects i.e. garden gnomes or beware of the dog signs.
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Make sure the doorbell is working; you don't want to leave any potential buyers waiting on the doorstep!
Entrance Hall 
Make sure all entrances are warm and welcoming. The hallway should draw a buyer into your home. Their opinion will be influenced by their initial reaction.
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Make sure the passage way into the house is not restricted and doors open freely. Remove any winter coats, dirty shoes, bulky pushchairs or anything that is barring the way into the house.
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Line your hallway with a couple of choice pictures and a mirror; ensuring it is placed at eye level.
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If the hall and stairs carpet look worn, replace with neutral colours or use existing floorboards.
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Touch up any paintwork. If you have a security alarm, build a cupboard around it. You don't want it to be the first thing buyers notice on entering the house.
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Neutralise the walls and ensure the lighting is sufficiently bright, but not glaring.
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A radiator cover will make a great focal point, place a vase of fresh flowers or a couple of your favourite ornaments on the shelf.
Kitchen 
This is a key room, the heart of any home. It needs to feel like a clean and spacious place to be.
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If there are any DIY jobs left unfinished now is the time to attend to them. Why draw the buyers mind into thinking about the extra money and time he'll have to lay out to fix them.
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De-clutter worktops and cupboards to create the feeling of more space.
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If units look old fashioned, paint them white and replace the door handles. This is usually enough to transform even the most dated of kitchens.
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If necessary, replace the flooring with an easy-to -clean option.
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The first rule of thumb for your kitchen is clean, clean and clean again. It is essential your kitchen looks and smells hygienically clean. Remove all traces of animal life.
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Accessorise using a fruit bowl, a toaster and kettle, new tea towels and some fresh flowers.
Living Room 
Often this is a room that shows signs of too much life. Clutter means that the size and proportions of the room are lost from view.
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Remove all personal effects; you will be packing them soon anyway. Allow the viewer to be able to mentally move their own things in.
- Avoid net curtains. They block out the light and can look dirty and dated. Try Roman blinds instead, they work well.
- Create a focal point; a fireplace with a mirror or carefully chosen pictures will draw in the buyer's eye.
- Find storage options for all your favourite videos, cd's and dvd's. A buyer wants to view your house not your collections.
- Give the room a breath of fresh air by repainting and re-preparing walls in a warm, but neutral colour.
- Remove excess furniture and rearrange the remainder to allow the space to be shown to its best advantage.
Dining Room 
The dining room is often one of the most under-utilised rooms in the house. If you pay attention to the following small details, you will add to the intrinsic value of your home.
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If you have a dining room that is doubling up as an office, playroom or spare bedroom, redefine its function. Give buyers the opportunity to imagine their life in your home.
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De-clutter, clean and freshen up the walls. This room must look sophisticated and inviting.
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Do not over fill the room, allow space to walk around and be able to sit at the table comfortably.
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Look at your chairs and consider recovering or adding loose cushions. Ensure they coordinate with the curtains.
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Set the scene in your dining room; lay the table using coordinating napkins and china. Use fresh flowers, a runner or tablecloth, but keep it simple.
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If you lack a dining room try to define an area using a table and chairs. A dining space is an essential part of selling a lifestyle.
Bedrooms 
Bedrooms need to be presented in a way that will appeal to the greatest number of people. Make sure buyers leave, wanting to come back again soon .
- Firstly, you need to arrange the room in a way that will attract buyers, both in the daytime and evening. By day it should be bright and fresh, by night the lighting needs to be soft to create an enticing atmosphere.
- De-clutter bedside tables, wardrobes and windowsills, putting away any clothes you've left out. This will help maximise the space.
- Avoid using patterns, borders, bright colours or floral prints,
they reduce the room size and could potentially put a buyer off altogether.
- Rearrange or remove some of the furniture, this will allow maximum light and a feeling of space into the room.
- Crisp, clean bed linen with a throw neatly folded at the foot or a couple of cushions at the head of the bed, will help reinforce that your home has been loved and cared for.
- Replace worn carpets with a new one or sand and varnish floorboards if they are in good condition. Adding a couple of accent rugs will help to complete the look.
Bathrooms 
Like the kitchen, it is crucial the bathroom looks and smells fresh. Keep everything clean and simple to help create the most desired effect.
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Remove all children's bath-time toys and keep toiletries in a bathroom cabinet.
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Replace smelly, damp carpets with water resistant tiles, lino or vinyl.
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Modernise and refresh wall tiles and grout using specialist tile and grout paint.
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To enable the buyer to imagine luxuriating in your bathroom, try adding candles, pot-pourri and replace old towels, with fluffy, new ones.
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Finish off any incomplete DIY jobs. Replace old toilet seats, shower curtains and any dated accessories.
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In cases where the bathroom suite is dated, it is a matter of improving the setting so the buyer's eye is drawn to the positive aspects of the room.
Outside 
The outside of your property reflects how the inside will look in a buyer's mind, so make the most of it. By providing an extra outdoor room you are adding value to your home.
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Paint doors and make sure the number of your house is visible. You don't want your buyer to drive past, they could be the one!
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Have a regular weekly maintenance programme to keep your house looking great throughout the whole marketing period.
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Define your boundaries. Fencing is important so the buyer knows exactly what they are getting for their money.
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Prune the shrubs, mow the lawn and weed the flowerbeds. Buy some seasonal border plants and hanging baskets to add life and colour to your garden.
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Turn an empty patio into another room with the addition of a set of garden furniture. If necessary beg, borrow or hire it.
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Where necessary remove children's toys and re-lay damaged turf. This will help to create a garden where the buyer can imagine themselves sitting with a relaxing drink on a warm summers evening.
In Summary In summary, preparing your property for sale need not be an expensive exercise. It may just take dedication and hard work; even the smallest of changes can make an enormous difference to how people view your home.
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