Sell or rent your property NOW
Want to sell or rent your home more quickly? House doctors Rebecca Garner and Shelly Robinson of Garner Robinson give us the essential to do list to get you on your way…
- Declutter. This is a golden opportunity to dispose of items that you no longer need or love. Get a trusted friend to give you a hand – an unemotional eye is invaluable. Make a plan, decluttering always takes longer than you think. Donate your unwanted things to www.freecycle.org. Your charity shop or local authority will be pleased to receive unwanted household goods.
- Clean. Make sure that your property gleams. Call in a professional cleaner. If, however, you decide to do the job yourself pay attention to every detail - clean every inch of the property, including the windows and carpets. Hoover under the furniture and the beds! Be vigilant in the bathrooms – remove the limescale, polish the mirrors and taps until they sparkle and remember to put out fresh towels. Pay the same attention to the kitchen, it needs to be totally grease and grim free; clean the inside of the kitchen cabinets as well as the oven and hob.
- Attend to the details. You need to ensure that your property looks better than the competition. Look at your property with a critical eye – put yourself in the place of the person viewing your home for the first time. Starting with the front door - give it a fresh coat of paint if necessary. Sweep the path and make the front garden look wonderful hide the bins and remove rubbish. Ensure that the common parts look good. Inside the house, repair any fine cracks, fill and redecorate as necessary. Pay special attention to bathroom tiles and grouting – make sure both are in pristine condition. Don’t give your purchaser or lessee a reason not to do the deal!
- Each room in your property should be appealing and fit for purpose. Potential purchasers must be able to see themselves living in your property. The living room should be inviting and have a relaxed feel, bedrooms should be welcoming and comfortable, ensure that the kitchen is the heart of the home.
Work closely with your estate agent and listen to his/her advice. Help your agent to help you:
- Choose an agent that you trust, someone who has in-depth knowledge of your local market and gives you a realistic assessment of the value of your property.
- In today’s market make sure that your property is available for viewing at short notice.
- If your property is in a restricted parking zone have parking permits available.
- Locks should operate smoothly and all door keys should be clearly labelled, so that the agent can gain access easily.
- The owner should, where possible, be absent during the first viewing – allowing the purchaser/lessee time to appreciate all the good points of the property.
- Your property must look fabulous until you have exchanged. Remember that people often want to come back for second or third viewings!
5 easy ways to refresh your home
Want to give you home a quick summer facelift? Karen Howes of THis Designs tells you the five interior design essentials no home revamp is complete without:
- Inject some colour into your home with designer cushions which will give maximum impact. If you are on a tight budget, spend money on the smaller items such as cushions or accessories. De Le Cuona on Walton Street is a good place to start.
- Make one wall a feature wall. Either wallpaper or paint it a strong colour and hang a strong piece of art or an oversize mirror.
- Throw a rug over your tired carpet - rugs have lots of uses! There are some great rugs at The Rug Company.
- Utilise all your outdoor spaces even if it is only a windowsill or ledge for a great windowbox.
- Make your curtains look more sophisticated with over the top tie-backs.
Belmacz jewellery launches beauty range
Avant garde jeweller Belmacz has now launched a small range of cosmetics, which includes 24-carat lip glosses and an oyster pearl face powder.
‘Belmacz Beauty is an extension of my work as a jewellery designer,’ says owner Julia Muggenburg, whose jewllery range using precious and semi-precious stones inspired her to see cosmetics as a form of adornment too.
The collection includes Halo, a unisex ointment containing organic oils, tiny flakes of gold and crushed pearls, a moisturising lip gloss containing gold leaf, and a light rose-scented face powder made with finely crushed real pearls.
Belmacz,
52 Mount Street W1
(020 7629 7863)
