With the Christmas holiday season now a thing of the past, the new year selling season is upon us.

‘So make sure you have your property in order before it is marketed’, is the advice from rapidly growing sales and letting agent EweMove Northwich.

With this in mind, local branch director Mike Lancaster has put together a handy checklist to guide you through the most important elements of having your home ready for sale in January...

1. Deep clean: Homes need to be fresh for the selling season – if you don’t have time to carry out this essential chore yourself, consider employing a professional cleaner to get your property up to selling standard.

2. Fresh feel: Think about re-staging your spaces, with a focus on natural light, lighter fabrics and seasonal touches, including fresh flowers.

3. Clear the clutter: Prepare for a viewing seriously. Take the time to de-clutter, keep rooms tidy and minimise personal possessions such as photos, as purchasers are trying to picture themselves living in your home. The idea is to demonstrate that this is an attractive, functional home.

4. Improve your home: Don’t gut and redecorate the entire property, but do fix what is obviously damaged. Fill in cracks, do essential repairs and decorate if there has been a leak or staining. Keep colour schemes neutral.

5. Don’t overspend: Buyers often like to make their mark, so don’t waste your money on trying to second guess what they’ll like. If the kitchen is tired, don’t spend money on replacing it – there is little chance you will make your money back. Don’t replace carpets, but do get them cleaned.

Mike, who has been working in Cheshire for many years, is very knowledgeable when it comes to the local property market.

He said: “As long as sellers take the time and care in preparing their property for market, we are confident that we will find them a buyer, as we pride ourselves on working harder than any other agent to deliver results.

“Our job is to help them every step of the way, from providing amazing photographs and 3D colour floor plans to carefully crafted marketing descriptions.

“We aim to better the average house selling time. Equally, customers are not required to pay upfront fees or sneaky hidden charges, and then there’s our ‘no sale, no fee’ promise.

“Our award-winning ‘Ewe-reka’ system allows buyers and tenants to book their own viewing appointments online.

“Our phone lines are also answered 24/7 to make sure that no viewings, enquiries, purchases offers or applications are ever lost.”

According to Mike, 93 per cent of buyers now search online for their next property, so EweMove lists properties on all of the major property portals, which generates huge exposure each month.

“This, combined with EweMove’s ‘mammoth marketing’ approach, means that sellers’ homes get more interest, more quickly,” says Mike.

For further information, contact Mike on 01606 614090 or visit www.ewemove.com/northwich.