Spring into action for the spring market!
 

Spring and early summer are busy periods for those thinking about moving or buying a home. Read our advice and get set for spring...

Traditionally one of the busier periods in the house hunting calendar, spring is synonymous with new beginnings. What better way to begin than with a house move?

Many people are thinking about being settled in a new home for the height of summer and parents may be considering a move to be in catchment for the all important school allocation process in the new academic year. 

Transactions take an average of three months, so April and May are great times to think about putting your home on the market. Your garden may be coming into its own, the days are longer, giving you - and potential buyers - more time to enjoy it and the warmer weather means more time can be spent pottering.

If you're thinking about selling your home, how can you ensure that you stay one step ahead of the competition when it comes to securing a sale? 

Here are our tips to help you make sure that your home is ship shape and ready for viewings...

Lighten and brighten
Could your paintwork do with a refresh? A lick of paint can make a huge difference to your rooms, making them look cleaner and larger. Perhaps your kitchen cabinets could benefit with a makeover? Choosing neutral shades will allow potential buyers to see past colour and imagine their own furniture in your home. 

Above: Grenofen, Tavistock,  PL19
Guide price £1,200,000
A wonderful country house overlooking the Waltham Valley. 

Remove the clutter
Buyers may see your treasured items as cluttering up your rooms, so look at each room objectively. Are there personal items that you could pack away, leaving the space looking clearer? If so, get out those boxes and begin in earnest. You'll have to pack them away once you move, so get ahead of the game. 

The smell of success
You may have a beloved four-legged member of the family, to whom your nose may have grown accustomed, but their smell should not greet potential purchasers. If you do have pets, consider a deep spring clean - after all, it's not called a spirng clean for nothing!

Right: Moor Lane, Broadclyst, Exeter, EX5
Guide price £550,000
Listed cottage on the edge of a National Trust village. 

Open windows to bring the outside in and banish those household smells. While you're there, give your windows a thorough clean inside and out.

Small list of jobs
We all have that small list of jobs that seems to grow larger as the months pass by. Now is the time to tackle them in earnest. That door handle needs half an hour of your time as does the leaking tap. If you've been meaning to fix that roof tile, get up there and fix it, or find someone who can! Clear the gutters, clean your outdoor windowsills, plant your hanging baskets and give your home the love it deserves.

Get out your green fingers
With the lighte​​​​​​​r​​​​​​​ nights you have no​​​​​​​ excuse for not spending time in you garden. With drier and warmer weather to come it's time to feed your lawn, pamper your perennials and wipe out those weeds. It's amazing what you can accomplish in a few hours.

Left: Loxbeare, Tiverton, EX16
Guide price £675,000
A traditional Devon farmhouse at the end of a long no-through lane, with lovely views over the surrounding rolling farmland.

You've prepared your home and are ready to take advantage of the 2019 spring market, now to choose an agent!

Choose an experienced and established agent such as Jackson-Stops Exeter who will dedicate themselves to finding you the right buyer, or your perfect home.

Our five star reviews are testament to the dedication of our team and the satisfaction of our clients...

"Over the years I have had dealings with a number of estate agents, some better than others, but I can say with all honesty that working with Jackson-Stops Exeter, in particular with Richard Addington, has been a pleasure.

Their communication has been excellent; never failing to keep me informed of progress through what was a complicate sale. Moreover, they demonstrated their professionalism and depth of knowledge at each turn, taking time to explain anything I was unfamiliar with.  

I would not hesitate to recommend them to anyone and I'm sure when eventually we move again (if not for some years) it will be to Jackson-Stops that we turn.
S Wilsdon"