Here is the Partners guide to selling your home.

• First impressions – before a potential buyer has stepped into your home, they will have already formed an impression in their mind. A well kept garden, pathways and a freshly painted front door are immediately appealing. Scruffy outdoor space with a litter bin outside the door may scare potential buyers away.
   

• De-clutter & never underestimate the appeal of a tidy property, potential buyers can easily be put off simply because your home is disorganized. Remember when you're selling a home you're selling your lifestyle.
   

• If you’ve collected a lot of junk over the years, use the potential sale as an excuse to finally get rid of it.
   

• Clean and dust thoroughly from the top to bottom of your house, from cobwebs on the ceiling to crumbs on the carpets. Don’t forget the paint work! Skirting boards and dado rails are important too, they are always something in particular people look at when viewing a property.
   

• If you’re thinking of decorating your home to help with the sale, natural colours are always the most attractive, most buyers do prefer natural colours to bright shades. From the wide range of paint colours that are available today, magnolia is still the top selling colour.
   

• Painting your walls in pale shades will help maximize the size of your rooms and potential buyers will find it easier to imagine their possessions in the property.
   

• To prevent the rooms looking too plain, have a vase of flowers on the mantle or windowsill or some bright cushion covers and accessories.
   

• De–personalize – Remove personal items, such as family photos and children’s drawings, which may distract potential buyers. They should be looking at your property and not your possessions.
   

• It pays to keep on top of minor repairs throughout the year rather than waiting until a job is beyond repair. Finish off small DIY jobs such as chipped wood or dripping taps.
   

• The right lighting can significantly improve the mood of a room. Choose a variety of different lights to suit the room, for example down lights and lamps for the living room. A room can look so much more inviting with a few table lamps rather than general bright lighting.
   

• Most buyers like the smell of a freshly cleaned home. Open the windows every day to bring fresh air into the house and choose cleaning products with a more ‘natural’ scent, than harsh chemical smells.
   

• Avoid cooking foods such as fish or curry before a viewing as it will linger.
   

• If you have pets then its a good idea to take them out during a viewing or ask a friend if they can look after them.
   

• Fresh flowers and a bowl of fruit will brighten up a room and give a pleasant scent.
   

• Organize rooms so they each have a specific purpose – this will make the property more appealing and will show the perspective buyers the properties full potential.
   

• Before investing a large amount of money doing up a property, find out its maximum potential value. Its pointless spending thousands improving your home if it will only add a couple of thousand to your selling price. You can ask your local estate agents for a valuation (valuation is free with Partners Estate Agents).