Add thousands to your home fast with easy summer styling
Everything is in your favour at this time of year: flowers in bloom, warmer weather and sunny blue skies put everyone in a good mood, and there's still nowhere near enough property for sale in Bedfordshire to satisfy demand.
Long summer days aren’t only for sizzling barbecues, seaside escapes and watching Wimbledon; they’re also when homes look their best.
Everything is in your favour at this time of year: flowers in bloom, warmer weather and sunny blue skies put everyone in a good mood, and there's still nowhere near enough property for sale in Bedfordshire to satisfy demand.
While finding a buyer quickly has become the new normal, you really can't beat the summer for adding many more thousands to your home without a single major purchase or renovation. With some expert help in creative dressing, evocative photography and showcasing the best of your neighbourhood, you can elevate your price to shimmering new heights.
So before the grass grows under our feet, let's get on with turning your home into red-hot property for summer.
SHINE, SPRUCE AND SWIFFER
What’s the most exciting aspect of long, hot and glorious sunny days? Housework!
Maybe not the most fun you can have between June and September, but a good old-fashioned cleanse and purge can do wonders for your sale price.
● Clean your windows inside and out to brighten every room, then dust and polish shelves, sideboards, tables and mirrors to amplify the light.
● Vacuum carpets, mop tiles and Swiffer the fluff from hardwood floors – don’t forget behind your furniture!
● Perfect paintwork sells, so freshen flaky window sills, give your front door a new coat, and reinvigorate any tired décor.
● Fill and decorate cracks in plasterwork, banish stains and scuffs from walls and ceilings, and clean off marks around door handles and light switches.
● Think about all the places a viewer might look – kitchen cupboards, built-in wardrobes, garage – and get them organised: bursting at the seams is never a good look!
Get the whole household involved and start early to avoid the heat. Remember to reward yourself with uplifting summertime music, refreshing drinks and charcuterie treats.
ADOPT AL FRESCO STYLING
Now that summer is here and everyone’s excited about getting outside, it’s time to turn up those summertime vibes. Take a leaf out of a magazine stylist's book to bottle the essence of being in nature.
● Clear your hallway of coats, boots and brollies from winter, and replace them with canvas shoes, linen jackets and straw hats.
● Fill up on flowers in pots, baskets, boxes or beds: bursting with geraniums for a colourful touch of the Med, or blooming with Sweet Peas, Dahlias and Peonies for a classic British display.
● Keep your garden furniture set up, and invest in a canopy so your guests can sit in the sun and savour the experience. Or add the ultimate in summerlicious seating with a hardwood stripey deckchair.
● Introduce summer textiles, from timeless gingham to this year's trend of embroidered cushions, seat covers, tablecloths and blankets.
● Merge indoors and outdoors with biophilic design, from floral motifs on cushions, bedding and wallpaper to plants in elevated pot stands or trailing from shelves.
Pinterest and Instagram are perfect sources of inspiration, whatever your style. Try using the hashtags #outdoorliving, #biophilicdesign and #summergardenstyle for endless ideas.
FOCUS YOUR PHOTOS ON SUMMER
Creative photography taken by an expert brings your images to life, and the key to successful staging is an authentic look. So unless you pile scones on a cake stand as part of your daily routine, stick to scenes that reflect your life and are easy to set.
Try these professional photographer techniques for stylish summer shots:
● Pick a sunny day so you can capture the sun as it shines across your floors, furniture and plants.
● Take close-ups in the garden with the foreground in focus and the background blurred: over the table, among the flowers and around your accessories.
● Add a dash of summer freshness to an empty dining table, night stand or window ledge with cut single stems in small vases.
● Shoot the outside through the windows inside to highlight any rooms that look out over your garden and beyond.
● Pull curtains back to reveal the entire window. For Venetian and plantation blinds, open the slats for the sun to cast exotic shadows.
Remember that photographs are usually a buyer's first introduction to a home. They affect whether someone does or doesn't view, so don't leave anything to chance and ALWAYS use a professional.
FLAUNT THE LOCAL OUTDOOR LIFESTYLE
The old cliché of location, location, location is never truer than in the summer months – buyers want a wonderful local life.
Work with your estate agent to include the best of your area into your description and photography, making sure to remember your personal favourites for that extra local insight. Think about:
● Local green space including pocket parks, sprawling commons, woodland walks and National Trust gardens
● Any outdoor cafe culture, from coffee shops with patio chairs to gastro pubs with gardens
● Streams, lakes and reservoirs for boating or fishing; lidos, ponds and open water spots for swimming
● Tennis courts, golf courses, sports fields, riding stables and any outdoor clubs for adults and children
Sharing great local recommendations inspires your viewers to explore your neighbourhood after seeing your home, fall in love with the area, and appreciate the true value of living there.
STAGE SMASHING SUMMER VIEWINGS
With up to 16 hours of daylight in the summer, you can expect more viewings in the evenings after work rather than mainly at weekends.
As well as the customary visual sweep and tidy round, focus on activating the senses of your viewers with an easy-breezy atmosphere.
● Keep a couple of windows securely open at opposite ends of your home to encourage a through breeze and moderate the temperature.
● Harness the sunlight and let it flow by opening all curtains, blinds and interior doors.
● Leave out a tray of glasses with a jug of iced lemon or cucumber water for your viewers to cool down when they step inside from the heat.
● Create a relaxed environment for browsing with a laidback summertime playlist at a discreet volume.
● Infuse your home with natural fragrances, from a well-placed vase of freshly-cut flowers to a single zesty reed diffuser.
Summer is simply the best season for leaving the house while your agent handles your viewings. Meet friends or neighbours for a drink, send the kids on a playdate, or enjoy an evening picnic in a nearby park.
Looking to sell this summer?
Tiny little touches can add so much value, and we’re here to help you stage your home to sell - not just quickly, but for the biggest possible price.
Call your local branch on 01525 713111, 01767 669222 or 01582 882440 or email us at getmoving@urbanandrural.com for a chat about your moving plans and putting them into action.
