Selling my house: 7 of the best ways to quickly get your house ready for sale if you're in a hurry

• If you’re selling your home you want to ensure it’s looking its best for the photos and viewings
• Thankfully there are some easy wins when it comes to getting your house market ready
• We’ve put together a list of quick things you can do to prepare your property inside and out and potentially boost its value

If you’re looking to sell your house it’s important to get it looking its best before it goes on the market.

But not everyone has the time to decorate their home from top to bottom ready for potential buyers to look around.

If you're selling your house, there are some quick and easy wins to get it ready for those all-important marketing photos and viewings | National World

Thankfully there are some quick and easy ways to ensure your house makes the best possible impression.

Even if you were tempted to, it’s important not to cover up any defects, as they will only show up in the survey anyway, but there are ways to maximise the value of your property which require little effort.

Below are some of the best tips for anyone planning to sell their house.

Declutter

One of the first things to do when getting your house ready to sell is clear the clutter.

Not only does it make your home look more spacious, but potential buyers want to imagine themselves living there, and seeing all your belongings makes that much harder.

Obviously there are limits to what you can clear away, but there are probably items you rarely use which could be stored in the loft or cellar, and perhaps some kitchen gadgets which usually live on the worktop can be stashed away in a cupboard.

It’s also a good excuse to have a bit of a general clear out and see if there are any books you’ve read, for example, which could go the charity shop. That will make your life easier, too, when it comes to moving.

Put out flowers

Plants and flowers add a splash of colour to your house and even if you’re not a big fan yourself they can make it look much more appealing to prospective buyers.

It’s worth putting some flowers around the home, even if they’re ones you’ve picked from the garden.

If you do have a garden which isn’t in full bloom it’s also worth investing in a few flowering plants to add some vibrancy.

Clean thoroughly

Give your house a thorough clean if you're selling, ready for the marketing photos and viewings | Photo by La Miko: https://www.pexels.com/photo/cleaning-supplies-3616735/

This seems obvious but it’s worth giving your home a deep clean to get it ready for viewings - not just a quick once-over with the vacuum cleaner.

Remember, potential buyers will be inspecting your house much more closely than you do on a daily basis, and they’ll notice those cobwebs, dusty doors and smudges on mirrors.

If your house looks a bit of a mess, even if it’s just cosmetic, it can give the impression you’ve not maintained it as well as you should have done.

If you haven’t had the windows cleaned for a while, get someone in or do it yourself; dust your doors even if that’s not part of your usual cleaning regime; and get that shower screen sparkling again.

Pull up any weeds

You may not have time for a full garden makeover, but there are some simple, low-cost ways to get it looking as good as possible.

Weeding your garden, patio and garden path is definitely worth doing, if you’ve not done so already, and it might be worth laying some more woodchip or gravel to tidy up the area as well.

As with the house itself, you need to declutter. People don’t want to see bags of compost or gardening tools on display, so stick them in the shed if you have one.

Don’t forget the front of the house and that all important kerb appeal, either. Give the hedge a trim, if you have one, sweep the path, and paint the gate if it’s looking a bit worn.

Finally get round to those repair jobs

Almost everyone has those minor repairs around the house which they’ve been putting off, from wonky shelves to squeaky doors.

If that’s true for you, now is the time to finally get round to them because prospective buyers are almost certain to notice if you don’t.

After all, it only takes a quick spray of WD40 to stop your door squeaking, and, in many cases, a turn of the spanner to fix a leaky tap.

If there are any bulbs which have gone be sure to replace them too, to make the place look as bright as possible.

Touch up the paintwork

Be sure to cover any scuff marks on your walls with some fresh paint if you're selling your house | Photo by Stephanie Ho: https://www.pexels.com/photo/person-holding-paint-roller-while-painting-the-wall-994164/

There’s no point painting your entire house before you sell it. After all, whoever buys it will probably end up changing the colour scheme to make it their own anyway.

But it’s worth painting over any scuff marks which have inevitably appeared, especially if you have children, and that needn’t be a big job.

If a touch-up won’t do and you feel you need to repaint the whole wall, then pick a light, neutral colour to make the room look as bright as possible and avoid putting off viewers who might not share your taste.

Add some finishing touches

Those little touches inside and out, like arranging the cushions, putting a throw over that worn armchair or investing in a new doormat, can make all the difference to your home.

There’s no point spending loads investing in new furnishings but a few pounds here and there on some extra cushions, a fresh bath mat or a new shower curtain could pay off.

Have you sold your house recently and do you have any top tips of your own for getting your home ready to sell? Let us know in the comments section below.