The process of selling your home can be challenging; in most cases, quite a bit of preparatory work needs to be carried out before the owner can begin to host viewings for potential buyers. Below you'll find some advice on how to get your house ready for sale.

Carry out some cosmetic repair work

The idea of spending time, effort and money on a house that you don't intend to live in for much longer might not seem particularly enticing. However, carrying out some basic repair work could save you from having to wait several months or more for an offer. Unless your home is in a serious state of disrepair, you probably won't need to take on any kind of major restoration project; a few minor cosmetic improvements are often all that's needed to make a property more appealing to potential buyers.

It's important to note that first impressions count; as such, it's worth devoting a bit of extra money to sprucing up your house's exterior, so as to enhance its kerb appeal. If, for example, your asphalt pavement is covered in unsightly cracks and potholes, it may be worth having it professionally restored. In most instances, asphalt repairs can be completed within a day or two and for a very reasonable price. You'll probably be quite surprised at how much better the outside of your property looks after this work is finished.

There are plenty of other relatively simple jobs that can also improve the appearance of your home; these include replacing or repairing missing or cracked roof tiles, re-painting and mending the garden fence, adding a fresh coat of paint to the exterior and interior walls or sanding and re-painting the kitchen cabinet doors.

Remove personal clutter

The personal, sentimental items scattered around your home, such as the family photographs hanging on the walls, the knick-knacks sitting above the fireplace and the children's drawings that are stuck to the fridge, should all be removed prior to the house being viewed. The reason for this is simple; when a potential buyer views a property, they want to be able to visualise themselves living in it; this is harder to do if it is covered in a stranger's personal belongings. Make this process easier for them by taking the time to make each room in your home clean, tidy and uncluttered.

Removing unnecessary sentimental items is also a great way to free up floor and wall space, and thereby make your property's interior appear more spacious. Given that for most buyers room size is a major determining factor in whether or not they choose to place an offer on a particular property, this is certainly an advantage worth bearing in mind.