Tips from the experts

• If it needs it, give your front door a fresh coat of paint. First impressions count.
• Keep things clean, tidy and uncluttered so people can stroll around your home as if they (might one day) own it.
• In the winter, leave lights on around the house.
• Let fresh air in and damp or doggy smells out. Scented candles, maybe?
• Never leave a property totally empty: that ‘lived-in’ feeling matters to buyers.
• It’s been said that if someone takes a seat they’re at ease with the place they’re in - and maybe thinking about making an offer. So make sure people can get to sofas and armchairs easily.
• Hanging gates, peeling paint, broken steps, damp patches - things like this give people either cause to panic or room to negotiate so its worth dealing with all of them.
• And finally, two tried and tested classics. Smells sell, so brew a pot of fresh coffee just before the viewing. And if it’s winter and if you have a fire or stove, get it blazing. Nothing warms a buyer’s heart like a crackling log.

Crisp Cowley Market Share 2011