Is your home suffering from a seasonal hangover?

One of the beauties of living in the UK is four distinct seasons and we do a very good job of celebrating when they change. The spring equinox has just taken place, Easter is on the horizon and daffodils are nodding in the breeze.

Spring also marks a transition in the property market. Buyers traditionally come out of hibernation when it’s warmer and brighter – it really is as simple as tempting people out with a choice of unmissable homes for sale and better weather!

If you’re a seller capitalising on spring’s spike in home buying activity, remnants of winter may be putting potential purchasers off.  Let’s call them ‘seasonal hangovers’.

Shortlisting properties seen online and undertaking viewings is a sensory experience and the lead sense is sight. Multiple studies have tried to quantify how quickly people make a judgement and while their conclusions all differ slightly, they all agree buyers form an opinion within seconds of seeing a property.

We’ve compiled this list of seasonal hangovers that are potentially spoiling your home’s appeal. You may like to sweep, switch up, tidy and prune if anything strikes a chord.

Christmas paraphernalia

Whether you’ve overlooked something or can’t bear to let go of the festive season, little bits of Christmas hanging around in the spring feel out of place. Take down strings of exterior lights, remove the deflated Father Christmas from your front garden and store away tinsel that’s draped around picture frames.

Ultra-cosy accessories

Spring is about lightness, warmer weather and new beginnings, making winter’s home accessories feel a little heavy. Now is the time to swap chunky knitted throws, velvet cushions, faux fur rugs and pinecone decorations for seasonal-appropriate alternatives. Opt for cotton and linen fabrics, pastel colours and vases of cheerful flowers.

Last year’s annual plants

With some UK places experiencing their wettest winter on record, we can forgive you for staying inside. If you’re selling your home, however, you’ll need to tidy and declutter outside spaces. By now, last year’s tender annual plants, such as cosmos, zinnias, petunia, begonias, marigolds and lobelia, will have died and be looking sorry for themselves. Annuals don’t regrow so they’ll stay brown and wilted until you remove them. Pay attention to plants in hanging baskets and pots, especially if they’re by your front door.

Fallen leaves

Spring is characterised by trees budding then bursting into life, so piles of fallen leaves are an unwanted reminder of colder, winter months. Rake up any leaves that are lying on lawns (then mow, if not too wet) and bag up leaves that have settled in piles, paying attention to corners of the garden, patios, driveways and decking.

Sandbags

We have to give a special mention to sandbags. It’s absolutely essential homeowners in flood risk areas have easy access to sandbags but leaving them strewn around front gardens can make the space look messy, especially if the bags have split and the contents are spilling out. While you can discreetly hide sandbags when you’re marketing your property, a homeowner must legally disclose if their property has flooded before. 

Flood information should be shared with the estate agent handling the sale, and detailed on The Law Society’s TA6 form. Lying about flooding is a breach of The Misrepresentation Act 1967 and a seller can face significant legal consequences. This can include unwinding the contract and/or having to pay the buyer financial compensation.

Contact us for more information about getting your home ready for the spring sales market and to book a no-obligation valuation.