A few years ago, when the property market was booming, you probably would have had a buyer for your home before the listing had even appeared in the estate agent’s window. But times have changed and if you want a quick house sale in the current economic climate, you need to do everything possible to attract a potential buyer.

10 tips for a quick property sale

1. Tidy it up! Potential buyers don’t want to see clutter and mess everywhere—it detracts from the important features in your home and makes small rooms look even smaller. Box up miscellaneous clutter and get rid of extra pieces of furniture until you have a sale.

2. Bedrooms are always an important selling point so if you have a bedroom currently being used as a study or playroom, put a bed back in there to ensure your home appeals to families. However, if you are hoping to appeal to young professionals, highlight potential home office space instead.

3. Decorate! You don’t need to go mad and have a new kitchen/bathroom fitted, but a lick of paint and some new carpet and curtains will help attract potential buyers, particularly if the property is looking a bit worn around the edges. And if you do decorate, stick to plain, light colours to create a feeling of space.

4. If there are any DIY jobs you have been putting off for years, bite the bullet and do them! Leaky gutters and a broken tile might seem unimportant to you, but they could be enough to put a buyer off, so fix them.

5. Kerb appeal is very important when selling houses—stand outside and look at your home from a buyer’s perspective: if the first thing you see is a lot of weeds and the recycling bins spilling out on to the driveway, it’s not a good look. So tidy up the garden, cut the lawn, plant some flowers, and add a hanging basket or two.

6. Don’t overprice your property—it may sound obvious, but too many people think their property is worth more than the current market value, and then wonder why nobody is coming to view. Do some research to see what other properties in your area are selling for, and then obtain several valuations to help you agree on a realistic selling price for your property.

7. In order to sell a property, it needs to be marketed well, so choose your estate agent carefully. Look around and see which agent is active in your area and pick the one you feel has the best motivation to sell your home.

8. Although you are likely to be paying an estate agent to sell your property, it doesn’t hurt to put the word out there yourself—tell everyone and anyone you are selling, and if you are lucky, someone might have a friend or colleague looking for property just like yours.

9. Once you have a viewing lined up, clean your home from top to bottom, keep pets and kids out of the way, and avoid making nasty cooking smells five minutes before your buyers show up.

10. Make your buyers feel welcome when they come for a viewing. Offer them a drink and have information to hand about local schools and other important amenities. It doesn’t hurt to dig some utility bills out either, just in case they ask.

Selling a property fast is not an exact science, but you can certainly maximise your chances of attracting a buyer quickly by selling at the right price and offering them a clean, tidy and attractive home!