Ah, January – the month that seems to never end. Between quitting everything fun in your life and taking up arduous exercise routines and diets, our New Year’s resolutions are a valiant attempt to be the best versions of ourselves.

But why stop at self-improvement when some carefully selected resolutions can tee you up to sell your house faster?

There’s no reason why self-improvement and home improvements can’t go hand in hand! So what resolutions can you take up to get your house in tip-top selling shape?

1. Cut the excess

While the Building Energy Rating (BER) won’t be the selling point for your house, a higher BER will make it a more attractive prospect to buyers.

The BER scheme was initially introduced to reduce Ireland’s dependency on fossil fuels and to make the country eco-friendlier, so working on your BER is a great way to reduce the amount of energy waste in your house. Becoming eco-friendlier doesn’t have to mean a big budget or huge changes.

In most houses, the energy-gobbling culprits are a combination of the windows, roof, and insulation. Ducts are also a notorious consumer of energy, so sealing and insulating your ducts is an easy first change to make.

Upgrading to double glazing is a straightforward improvement too. You can also embrace more efficient means of heating (for example solar power), as well as swapping to compact fluorescent lamps or LED bulbs.

For more tips, check out our blog post on improving your BER.

2. Keep things separate

At the heart of it, selling your house is a business transaction. Many sellers let their emotions get to them, especially if they’re selling a property that has been their home. They’ll look around and see memories everywhere.

A little nostalgia and personality will do you no harm, but you’ll need to be ruthless about culling anything that’s too personal. You want a prospective purchaser to be able to see their future home, absolutely, but you don’t want them to be hit with your mementos at every corner.

Keep furnishings clean with a hint of the familiar. And don’t be afraid to send any family pets to a minder for viewings. We’re sure Fido is very cute, but what happens if your viewer is allergic?

3. Give your property some TLC

Plenty of buyers will be looking for specific things like a garden or a certain number of rooms, but the overall aesthetic of your house is very important too.

Small home improvements can make a big difference to both the speed of the sale and the listing price. Plus, a buyer will be more inclined to snap your property up if they can see that everything is in working order.

It may be a case that your property needs some TLC before it’s ready to face the market. Whether you’re painting the exterior, giving the front garden a do-over or redoing the kitchen, you’ll need to be realistic about getting the money together. So why not leap into the new year by organising your finances?

Creating a budget isn’t anyone’s favourite way to spend a Saturday, but it can be the difference between planning home improvements and actually carrying them out.

Switching utility service providers can save you a bundle, while cutting your daily coffee could save you nearly €1,000 a year.

4. Get organised

During the process of selling a house, you’ll need a number of important documents. The aforementioned BER certificate is one, but you also may need a Certificate of Compliance, a land registry compliance map, and the title deeds. There’s the contract too, which will be handled by your solicitor.

While you won’t need most of the documents until later in the process, it’s no harm to gather what you can so you’ll have them when the time comes. Keep them in a safe place.

Head over here to download a checklist that details the selling process step-by-step. Handy!

5. Spring clean/get active

Going to the gym is easily one of the most popular resolutions; it’s also the most frequently abandoned. But did you know that the average person can burn 170 calories an hour doing light cleaning?

It’s the perfect excuse to gut your cupboards, dust the corners, and have a sparkling house to show prospective buyers. Use distinctive art and furniture to draw your viewer’s attention to any unique selling points your house has.

Pale paint shades brighten and add roominess to tight spaces. An artfully placed mirror will do wonders for enlarging a small room, while flinging open your curtains and polishing your windows will make everything look so much brighter and more open.

And all while you burn calories. Who needs that gym membership now?

Thinking of buying or selling a property?

If you’re looking to buy or sell, get in touch for expert advice or follow us on Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn for all the latest news.

In the meantime, why not download the homeseller’s checklist for a step-by-step guide to selling a house in Ireland?