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Once it was true, but baking bread, having fresh coffee on the go, and fresh flowers are not going to be the winning factors for selling your home.

They won’t hurt, but with the market being so competitive a prospective buyer will be looking at advantages of your home over others. So, what will they be looking for and how can you draw their attention to this?

According to a survey by cleaning company Vileda it is space and views that lead the way; storage space, ceiling heights and views out of the windows all make a difference.

If you can accentuate these aspects then you may have an advantage over other houses.

Simple tasks such putting away all clothes, clear work surfaces, put away books, clean your windows, tidy your garden, remove cobwebs from ceilings and lights.

It might be that for the purposes of photography and viewings that you put things into storage that you know won’t be needed.

Do however try and keep things as natural as possible, a potential buyer will want to see that you are comfortably living in the house.

Make sure that you also show off any distinctive feature of the house to its full, for instance a fireplace or outdoor space.

A prospective buyer will have shortlisted your home from what in itself would be a short
list, considering how many homes are on the market. They will now be scrutinising every detail from each property and weighing them up as to which one best suits them financially and habitually.

And if you are the happy new owner, you should pay just as much attention to how to keep your home looking its best.

Once you are settled in it is important that, regardless of the type of property, you keep on top of maintenance. Regular checks of your home each year are a good way to ensure your home stays in peak condition.

For some this may be ‘as and when’ as the bigger picture is for a complete overhaul of kitchen, bathroom and redecoration. For others this could simply be to ‘make do and mend’ as available budget is prohibitive.

So where do you start? Here are some ideas:

Roof – In early autumn, check around windows, skylights and chimneys for cracks or leaks and repair or replace tiles as necessary.

Gutters – Clean gutters so leaves won’t clog them, and be sure that water drains away from the house.

Fireplace – If heavily used during the winter, the spring time is a good time to get the chimney professionally cleaned.

Safety equipment – Be sure smoke detectors and fire extinguishers are in good working condition. Check them on a regular basis and replace batteries twice a year – this could save your life.

Refrigerator – Test door seals once or twice a year to be sure they are airtight. Test by closing the door over a piece of paper. If you can pull this out easily, the seal may need to be replaced. If you have a coil-type fridge, the coils should be vacuumed twice a year.

Water taps – Check for leaks in kitchen and bathrooms and replace washers as necessary. Painted surfaces – Look for cracks or peeling areas. Repaint and fill as necessary.

The above list not only provides some peace of mind, but also will help identify where potential investment will be needed with regards to repair or replace. This is by no means comprehensive, try creating your own maintenance schedule and add things that you would like to remember to keep an eye on. It could be the boiler service; it could be the oven cleaning.

If you are thinking of buying or selling, visit Kent Estate Agencies' website.