Is there a doctor in the house?

Selling your existing home can be frustrating experience. Buyers are increasingly selective and demanding, so catching their attention is essential. But it isn’t always easy for those who aren’t experienced in selling homes. So if your chance to move to a brand new dream home is being hampered by the nightmare of your house-sale looking stagnant, Bellway Homes has a simple remedy.

Step in the Bellway House Doctor. Award winning housebuilder Bellway Homes has calculated that its team boasts more than 300 years of sales experience between them so they know a thing or two about selling. They have established the Bellway House Doctor as an extension of the company’s Express Mover package. Quite simply, once a would-be buyer has picked their new Bellway home, one of the very experienced sales team members will visit your existing property and offer what you might call a prescription for a healthy sale.

They will review your home with a dispassionate and professional eye and suggest all the key changes that need to be made to make your home change from beast to beauty – and all at a low cost.

Fraser Conn, Sales and Marketing Director at Bellway Homes said: “We’re not talking about complete makeovers and costly refurbishments here. It is just that, when you live in a place, you often don’t realise how off-putting the little things can be to a potential buyer. So, we will provide a realistic and cost-effective check-list that the seller can implement to ensure that your house or flat rapidly becomes a home for a new-comer.

Here’s a prescription from the Bellway House Doctor:

1. When would-be purchasers are expected to view, get rid of the dog, the cat, the hamster and any other pets for a few hours. And make sure you eliminate any odours they may have left behind. You may not notice, but visitors will.

2. Tidy the clutter. It sounds obvious but dirty laundry littering the bedroom, stray shoes under the bed and piles of old magazines in the living room just is not a good look. It will take moments to bag and bin (or recycle) the rubbish and consign clothes, accessories and other paraphernalia to cupboards or laundry baskets.

3. Cut the lawn, trim the hedge… do whatever it takes to make that all-important first impression a good one. Plant some cheerful flowering plants in the front garden, window-box or tubs. And make sure that the door ‘furniture’ is nicely polished.

4. Indoors, place some fresh flowers in vases on your now clear surfaces.

5. Make sure the kitchen looks clean and wholesome. Bake bread to make the place smell glorious

6. Put out some attractive, fluffy matching towels in your clean and sparkling bathroom.

7. Get rid of photographs and other personal items that are obtrusive and detract from the house. You want the potential buyer to be able to envisage living their life not be confused by yours.

8. Make sure everything is clean and sparkling – skirting boards, light switches, doors need attention. And there’s nothing worse than seeing cobwebs hanging from the corners or a room. This part of the House Doctor’s prescription is to be taken at least once a day during the house-selling process.

9. Clear up the children’s toys – if necessary buy large toy box or trunk.

10. Ask yourself, are you over-furnished? Too much furniture just makes your rooms look small and will be off-putting. You can always store the surplus items until you move.

Fraser added: “Making you proud that your house is one to be looked over not over-looked is something we’re pleased to help with in order to get you moving into one of our fantastic new homes”.

Bellway Homes has a range of developments throughout central Scotland, for further information visit bellway.co.uk.