How to sell your house in a recession

There can be little doubt that now is a tough time for anyone trying to sell their house. Prices have fallen dramatically, along with buyer interest, and the incredible mortgage deals of the boom era are no longer a reality.

To attract interest from buyers, householders need to make their homes as attractive as possible, selling the lifestyle as much as the bricks and mortar.

If you’re trying to sell your home, here are five steps you can take to improve your chances.

1. Keep it neutral. You may be a fan of tangerine carpets and pillar box red walls, but the majority of buyers will not have such exotic tastes, so stick with neutral colours like stone, cream or grey and you won’t go wrong.

2. Keep it clean. A clean home is an inviting home, and buyers will often struggle to imagine themselves at home in someone else’s mess, so make sure all surfaces are spotless and put clutter out of sight. It may be worth hiring in a carpet cleaner to give your home an extra sparkle.

3. Keep it light. A bright room will feel bigger and put your potential buyer in a good mood. Try to arrange viewings for when you know the sun will be streaming into key rooms such as the lounge and make sure curtains and blinds are fully retracted to make the room as bright as possible.

4. Keep it alive. Dying plants and wilting flowers will do nothing to sell your home, so make sure you have freshly cut flowers in place for each viewing. This will help bring a sense of freshness to your home.

5. Keep it contemporary. Features that scream modern chic will help make your home more attractive to young buyers. There’s no need to splash out on designer furniture, simply buy in finishing touches such as rugs and blinds that can raise the image of any room. Alternatively, you might consider renting in quality furniture to give rooms a lift at a fraction of the cost.

To find the best prices on the household items that will help bring your home up-to-date, visit the Home and Garden section at TotallyMoney.com. There you can compare prices on all sorts of great items from major retailers, from beds to garden accessories, and from lighting to flowers.