Rightmove's own data is unambiguous: well-presented homes sell 42% faster and for 3–7% more than equivalent properties presented poorly. The whole industry knows this. Most sellers still don't act on it because "preparing the house" sounds like a renovation budget. It isn't. It's six weekends and about £400 of paint and light bulbs.
Week 1: Declutter ruthlessly
Buyers buy space. Every possession on display is an item they subconsciously subtract from that space. Aim to remove 30% of the visible content from every room.
- Kitchen worktops: keep the kettle. That's it.
- Bookshelves: remove two thirds of the books. Group the survivors by size.
- Wardrobes: pack out-of-season clothing into vac bags. Empty wardrobes look bigger — they also flag "we're ready to move" to buyers.
- Bathrooms: no toothbrushes, no towels on the floor, no half-empty shampoos on the rim of the bath.
Week 2: Deep clean and small repairs
Get a professional deep clean or spend a weekend doing it yourself: skirtings, extractor filter, oven, inside of windows, and the grout in wet rooms. Then patch every scuff mark, tighten every loose door handle, silicone the bath, and replace every dead bulb. The buyer's subconscious is auditing your home for signs it's been "looked after". Give it two hundred small pieces of evidence.
Week 3: Paint the highest-impact walls
You don't need to paint the whole house. You need to paint the hallway, the wall the front door opens onto, and any accent wall in a bedroom that reads "personal taste". Dulux Timeless, Farrow & Ball Wimborne White or Little Greene Slaked Lime are the safest "sells the house" whites in Britain.
Week 4: Kerb appeal
Roughly 30% of viewers make an instinctive yes/no in the first six seconds after pulling up outside. Buy fresh matt paint for the front door in navy, sage, or black. Clean the bins. Pressure-wash the path. Add two matching planters with olive trees or bay laurels. Budget: under £150. Impact: measurable in offers.
Week 5: Stage the photographs
The listing photos are what actually sells the house. Rightmove reports that homes with pro photography get 68% more clicks. If your agent uses a phone camera, request a professional. Then, on shoot day:
- Every light on, every blind fully open.
- Toilet lids down, cushions plumped, no cars on the drive.
- Beds made with fresh cream or white bedding. Match the styling in every bedroom.
- Dining table set for two — signals lifestyle, not just square footage.
Week 6: Viewings
- Fresh coffee or bread 20 minutes before the viewing. Cliché because it works.
- Take pets out. Every pet-loving buyer stops seeing the house the moment a dog appears.
- Let the agent show buyers round. Owners talk too much. Silence sells.
- Leave a one-page "About This Home" printout with council tax band, EPC rating, annual energy cost, service charge, and last five years of works. Buyers keep it. Agents love it.
The move-out that closes the deal
The final overlooked detail: how the house is left on the day of exchange for the buyer's final visit. A £150 professional clean between the removals lorry leaving and the buyers' arrival is the difference between "smooth completion" and a last-minute retention or deduction. Apex offers this as a bolt-on to every home move for exactly that reason.
Frequently asked questions
- Does preparing a house for sale really add value?
- Yes. Rightmove data shows well-presented homes sell 42% faster and for 3–7% more than equivalent poorly-presented properties. Six weekends of decluttering, painting, and kerb-appeal work typically adds £5k–£15k to the average UK asking price.
- What colour should I paint before selling?
- Warm neutral whites like Dulux Timeless, Farrow & Ball Wimborne White, or Little Greene Slaked Lime consistently perform best on UK listings. Reserve accent colours for the front door only.
- Should I be present during viewings?
- No. Let the agent show buyers around. Sellers overshare and interrupt. Silence and a clean, staged home sell the house.
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