Most advice about preparing a home for sale is either obvious or wrong. Declutter, they say. Paint everything white. Bake bread before viewings. Some of it is fine. Most of it misses the things that actually affect how quickly a property sells and what it sells for. Here is what we tell our vendors.

Fix the things that will come up in the survey

Buyers in the £400,000-plus market almost always commission a survey. If there are known issues with the roof, the guttering, the damp-proof course, or the electrics, they will be found. The question is whether they are found before or after an offer is made. If they come up in the survey, the buyer will use them to renegotiate. If you address them before going to market, or disclose them with a quote for the work, you control the narrative. We recommend getting a pre-sale survey on any property over twenty years old.

Presentation matters more than renovation

We have seen vendors spend £30,000 on a new kitchen before a sale and achieve a price that did not reflect the investment. We have also seen vendors spend £2,000 on repainting, re-carpeting the hallway, and clearing the garden, and achieve a noticeably better result than the condition of the property would have suggested. The principle is: present what you have as well as possible, rather than trying to transform it. Buyers can see through a rushed renovation.

The garden in summer

In July and August, the garden is often the first thing a buyer notices. A well-maintained garden in summer is a genuine asset. An overgrown one raises questions about what else has been neglected. This does not mean a formal garden. It means cut grass, clear paths, and a terrace or seating area that looks usable. If you are planning to go to market in the summer, the garden preparation should start in May.

Documentation

Gather the paperwork before you instruct an agent. Planning permissions, building regulations certificates, guarantees for any works, service records for the boiler, and any warranties on windows or roofing. Having this ready at the start of the process reduces delays at the conveyancing stage and signals to buyers that the property has been looked after.

If you are preparing to sell and want a frank assessment of what would make the most difference to your property specifically, the discreet valuation service is a good starting point. No obligation, no pressure.