1. Go Neutral

Magnolia is still the best selling color paint for a reason – plain shades make a room feel brighter and create a sense of space. It has been proven that buyers prefer neutral shades to bright colors when looking at prospective new homes so get the paintbrush out and cover up those aborigine walls!

2. Update your kitchen

The kitchen is one of the first things a prospective buyer will notice, but think carefully before putting in a brand new kitchen. Unless the current kitchen is in a complete state of disrepair, your house value may not increase by enough to cover the cost of the new kitchen. Instead, if your kitchen is just in need of a little updating, why not repaint the cupboard units and add new, trendy door handles.

3. Sort out the bathroom

Bathrooms and kitchens can make or break a sale so again, it's important that you have your bathroom looking its best. White bathroom suites are very fashionable, so it is worth replacing older colored suites if you can afford it.

Again, neutral sells so if you've got a distinctive pattern on your bathroom tiles it might be worth painting over them in a plain color. It will also make the bathroom appear bigger, as will putting up a large mirror. Finally, make sure the lighting in the bathroom is good, as this is something people pay particular attention to in this room as they will be applying make up or shaving in here and need to be able to see properly to do so!

4. Restore period features

If you live in an older house, rediscover the period features! They make a great selling point so make the most of high ceilings, picture rails, and especially fire places. Restore original doors, never replace.

5. Finish off little jobs: attention to details is crucial

Finish painting the front gate or screwing the cabinet door back onto its hinges. You want to avoid buyers becoming distracted by such scenarios and encourage them to focus on the positive aspects of your home. Never leave your buyer with a bad taste in their mouth.

6. Depersonalize

Remove family photographs and nick knacks to create an environment that anyone can imagine stamping their own personality on and introducing their own accessories and furniture into. Minimize the amount of books on the shelves, reduce the number of pictures on the walls.

7. De-clutter

Get rid of all your junk – prospective buyers are trying to picture themselves living in your home and a blank canvas will help them do that! If your house is full of kids toys hide them behind cupboard doors or in a toy box.

8. Clean

The cheapest option of all! Before people come to view, make sure that everything's spotless – as you would want a house to be if you were going to buy it! Don't forget the windows; they make up around 50% of the front of your property so tease people into wanting to see what's behind them. A bit of window cleaner finished off with vinegar will leave them sparkling and enticing the buyers into your home.

9. Curb appeal

Potential buyers will form an opinion of your property within the first twenty seconds of seeing it from the outside. Freshen it up by repainting the front door and ensuring that all the door fittings are sparkling and attached securely. Matching ones are best.

10. Don't ignore the garden

People often forget about the garden, but for many buyers a neat garden that looks like it doesn't need much work is a real plus. Re-vamp old wooden decking and fences, these can simply be stained to wood effects or use emulsion / spray to add color for that immediate transformation. Use pots to create splashes of color without having to plant whole flowerbeds – and they can always be taken with you once you actually sell the house!