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Selling your home - top tips

Selling your home can be just as stressful as buying another, especially if you are caught in a 'chain' and are reliant on a sale going through before you can move on.

In a fiercely competitive market, it is important to make your home stand out, not just so you'll get the right price, but to ensure that you maximise the opportunities that potential customers will choose your property over another.

The good news is that selling a property can be achieved with a little effort and imagination and there are a few things that sellers can do to help clinch the deal.

Here are Artful Lodger Liverpool's top-ten-tips for selling your home...

1. Get round to it: Make sure you attend to all those maintenance jobs you've been putting off. Oil door hinges, fix squeaky floorboards, replace washers on dripping taps and missing hooks on the curtains. Potential buyers will be turned off by a house that looks uncared for. If you don't have time to do this, get a professional in to do the jobs for you. See Artful Lodger's Liverpool property maintenance services for a list of local agents.

2. Show your best side: Most house buyers 'drive by' before they choose properties to view. Ensure yours stands out by painting the front door, replacing tired door furniture, planting window boxes or tubs of colourful flowers. Don't forget to make sure the house number is visible from the road!

3. De-clutter and de-stress: Clutter can be distracting to people trying to visualise living in your home and can make it seem smaller (and therefore less appealing) than it really is. Pack knick-knacks away in boxes, seal down the lids and stack them ready for when you move. An alternative is to use a self-storage unit, which is an inexpensive and safe way to ensure your personal effects are taken care of.

4. Have a clear outlook: Clean the windows, frames and woodwork with a good household detergent. This improves the look of the room and lets in the natural daylight.

5. Window dressing: Have your curtains dry- or steam-cleaned. This will give the room a real list and will reduce or remove built-up odours. Ditch the nets and go for more trendy (and modern) muslin drapes or blinds. Consider using inexpensive blinds as they really open up a room and are less fussy. Check out Liverpool dry cleaners or Liverpool curtain and blind suppliers and fitters .

6. Welcome in: Replace bulbs in the light fittings in the hall. Think clearly about how you can brighten your darkest corners. Keep hallways, stairs and landings clutter free, adding a mirror can make a big difference. If you are painting, stick to neutrals in confined spaces, they add to the feeling of light and space.

7. Look up: Don't forget that view-ers will. Dust or vacuum cobwebs away especially around light fittings. If your ceiling is damaged, it's worth spending a few pounds putting it right. Make sure your ceiling paint is clean and bright.

8. Wonder wall: Wash down emulsioned walls with a soft cloth and a little detergent. If necessary use match pots to touch up damaged areas. Stick down lifting edges of wallpaper and crayon in scuff-marks on darker papers. If you do re-decorate, use neutral light colours. If you are considering undertaking major redecorating, we can recommend our list of Liverpool painers and decorators to take the strain.

9. Create floors (and stares): Carpets are seen as a large outlay for the new homeowner and that could cost you the sale. They can also hold unpleasant odours so make the most of what you have by getting them professionally cleaned. A good carpet cleaning company will have all the necessary equipment to tackle badly soiled flooring. If carpets are wearing thin, pull them up. Bare floorboards and a rug can be a cost effective alternative.

10. Image is everything: One in 10 buyers use the internet to find property. As a result, photographs are now more important than ever. Buyers use external and internal photos to narrow down their choices. The room needs to be staged to ensure you get the best photos. Use a good quality digital camers and only publish the BEST shots with the BEST lighting. Preview your shots before you choose. If you are using an on-line service to market your property, consider investing in a virtual tour. You really need to have a competitive edge if you're going to get that sale, and a virtual tour is a cost effective and stunning way to show off your investment.