It can take buyers as little as seven seconds to decide whether the property they are viewing is their dream home or not. First impressions count, and you will rarely enjoy the privilege of a second chance to impress your potential buyers. Beautifully presented, your property is more likely to sell quickly and for the best possible price.

An investment in home improvements may seem counterintuitive when you are hoping to move but will often reap significant dividends. You will need to invest time and money into staging your property for a viewing. If you spend wisely, your efforts will usually be rewarded.

Know your market

Buyers have different priorities, and so it would be impossible to maximise the appeal of your property unless you first identify who your buyers are likely to be. Families will prefer safe and secure outside spaces and more bedrooms, while young professionals may seek a home office or walk-in wardrobe. Know your market and stage your home accordingly.

Define your rooms

Never rely on the imaginations of your prospective buyers. Most will take your home at face value and won’t be able to see beyond its current look and layout. Make sure the purpose of every room is clearly defined and appropriate for the market you are targeting.

If you don’t have a dining area because you always eat out or in front of the TV, now is the time to create one. That spare room that you use for storage must be emptied and furnished as a bedroom or study. Think about how you could dress any recesses or landings to transform them into useful study areas or workspaces. If you require furniture to affect your transformation, you can limit your costs by borrowing or renting the pieces you need.

Let there be light

Buyers may have different priorities, but none will be looking for a dark and dingy home. It is crucial to maximise the light that floods into your property to create bright and airy rooms. Clean windows are a good start, and a strategically-positioned mirror will reflect more light into a room. Heavy curtains can obscure windows even when they are drawn. Replace these with lightweight drapes or blinds which enable more natural light to enter the space.

Always open curtains and blinds fully for viewings, but if your rooms remain dark, paint the walls in light and neutral shades, remove any dark coloured soft furnishings, and leave the lights on when you show people around.

Show the love

You can’t expect buyers to love your home if you don’t. Poor maintenance and grubby interiors make a property feel shabby and uncared for. Give every room a thorough clean and repair any blemishes such as chipped paintwork and cracked tiles.

Fix those repairs

You might not be overly concerned about a leaky tap or a creaking floorboard, but minor issues are often red flags for viewers. Repair everything that needs attention and you won't leave your buyers worrying about the amount of work they need to do and what else might be wrong with the property. If you haven’t attended to the smaller problems, you can’t blame viewers for wondering if there are much bigger ones to be concerned about.

Declutter your rooms

You are selling a dream and most peoples' wish lists will include the desire for more space. Your accumulation of clutter makes your rooms look smaller, gives the impression that your home lacks adequate storage, and generally prevents your viewers from imagining how they will use the spaces. Clear your rooms of clutter and If you don’t have anywhere to store your things, rent a storage unit or ask family and friends if they could store them for you.

Remember that clutter can include furniture. Your rooms will look more spacious with less furniture in them, so remove what you can and store it until you have achieved a sale.

Depersonalise your interior

Buyers must be able to imagine themselves living in your property and that might prove impossible if they can’t see past your wacky wallpaper, garish feature wall or huge collection of family photographs. Take down the snaps and repaint your walls in neutral shades. Neutrals will help to enhance the sense of light and space and will create a unified look throughout your property, improving the flow from room to room.

Create a tidy but lived-in look

You will be working hard to create a show home but do make sure that it looks lived-in too, as potential buyers must be able to see that it could be their new home. A few fresh flowers and a bowl of fruit will deliver the desired effect without overly personalising the interior.

Remove your pets

You might adore your pampered pooch but that doesn’t mean everyone else will. It is best to remove all traces of your pets when conducting viewings.

Kitchens and bathrooms sell houses

Priorities vary greatly but almost everyone will be seduced by a stunning kitchen and bathroom. These are the rooms where it is worth investing to make improvements and it is likely that you will recoup some or all of your investment when you sell.

If you can’t stretch to new kitchen units, replacement doors will update the room as will swanky appliances. Research has shown that granite and quartz worktops are amongst the features which are most likely to attract buyers to your property.

Bathrooms can be transformed quickly and affordably by replacing the tiles and flooring. If you have a more generous budget at your disposal and could accommodate a complete revamp, walk-in showers, wet rooms, and roll top baths are aspirational features worthy of consideration.

Don’t forget your outside spaces

If your property benefits from a garden or any outside space, spruce it up. Tidy the garden, create attractive planting and then sell the dream with patio furniture and a barbecue. Ensure that the outside of your house is as clean, tidy and appealing as the inside because those precious seven seconds in which your potential buyer makes up their mind could tick away before they have stepped across the threshold.

Know your property and neighbourhood

Your potential buyers will glean most of what they need to know by viewing your property but a few informative words from you might seal the deal. Explain the benefits of living in your neighbourhood including schools, transport links, shops and facilities. If crime is rare, say so and if you have incorporated security features in your home, point them out. Always ensure that you are ready to answer any questions that your viewers may have and speak with confidence and pride.

Think before you list

Selling a property requires a little planning, expenditure and effort. Think about who might be interested in your home and what they will want to see and then deliver it. Consider the potential downsides of the property and eliminate as many of these as you can. Sell the dream and you will be celebrating a sale in double quick time.