If you want to Sell your house for cash; first impressions have never mattered more. Flaky paintwork, dirty windows, mouldy seals around sinks & where worktops meet walls, mouldy grouting on wall or floor tiles, greasy hobs, dirty smelly waste bins…. etc., etc., could easily cost you a sale. Remember the kitchen is a very important room for families.
Before your viewings start, in fact before you have the Home valued; empty the kitchen and try to view your Home as though it’s the first time you’ve looked at it and, above all, be very critical.
First of all, if you can, pick a dry day and empty your kitchen of everything portable, chairs, bins, small appliances, bottles, jars & other containers. Be hard on yourself, and get rid of all clutter.
Now, are all the worktops, floors, windows & doors and their frames fresh and clean? If the paintwork is sound, a good wash is all you need. If the paintwork is cracked or flaking; resist the temptation to just put on a quick lick of paint over a cruddy surface. If you can’t or don’t have time to do the job yourself; you’ll find a decent Handyman in most neighbourhoods who’ll do the job for a very reasonable price. Consider any wallpaper or emulsion paint the same way. If it’s looking worn or peeling here and there, replace it. Stay with neutral light colours like tinted whites, creams etc., and remember you don’t have to buy expensive stuff. If you have tiled walls, a thorough wash will be needed followed by a decision on whether to thoroughly clean or replace your grout.
Check all the sealant around sinks, worktops and hobs. If it’s cracked, discoloured or mouldy replace it. It won’t cost much or take long to do.
Have a look at your cupboards and drawers. There’s hardly ever any need to buy new units, but you may want to think about replacing the handles for some modern new ones, or at the most, replacing the doors & drawer fronts.
If the floor’s carpeted, be critical; if it’s tatty or in any way smelly consider replacing it, again, you needn’t spend a fortune, because you’re not looking for longevity. If it’s not too bad a good shampoo may do the trick. Most Supermarkets & DIY sheds will lend or hire you a carpet shampooer when you buy the shampoo from them. Otherwise, there are specialist cleaning companies who’ll do it for you. If you have vinyl Floor covering, Give it a thorough scrubbing, then decide if it looks fresh & clean enough. If in doubt, replace it with something fairly light with an unobtrusive pattern that won’t offend anyone who doesn’t share your taste. If you have a tiled floor, the maximum you should need is to thoroughly mop it, or, as with the walls, in extremis renew the grout.
Now, you can bring back some of the things you cleared out. After a thorough clean & shine you can bring back the chairs, the pedal bin and a limited number of essential appliances but Keep worktops as clear as possible. This is very important to give a look of space and cleanliness. Put all the bottles, jars, juicers, toasty makers etc out of sight!
If you’ve got any new appliances for your new home, like a kettle or toaster, put them out now & throw out the old ones. They’ll add to the modern clean homely feel you’re trying to create. Unless you have a really large kitchen; resist the temptation to have more than these appliances out otherwise you’ll quickly make your kitchen look poky. Keep the worktops uncluttered.
If you have many personal family photos on the fridge or notice board, remove them, because they simply remind potential buyers that this is not their home, and they make it more difficult for the viewers to visualise themselves living there.
Even if you’re thinking of selling your Home to one of those Cash House Buyers, taking these steps will ensure you get the maximum possible valuation figure. You can find specialist Cash House Buyers by searching under terms like “We buy homes”