Pre-Sale Preparations for the 2026 Market
As we near 2026, it’s time to start looking at what the property market has in store for us in the months ahead. After years of turbulence and uncertainty, the market finally looks like it’s more stable. Motivated buyers, a more active market, and gradually falling mortgage rates mean it’s a great time to prepare for a sale. Proactive sellers should be using this time to maximise value and get their properties in perfect condition ready for a quicker sale and higher profits.
Know the Market Before You List
Before you list your property, do your research into the local market dynamics where you are. Growth is rarely uniform across the entire country, so it pays to know what you’re facing in your town or city. Flats and starter homes will attract first-time buyers, for example, while detached and semi-detached properties are expected to remain popular in the suburbs, especially for families. Knowing who your property is ideal for can help you market it correctly and also guides any changes you want to make beforehand to appeal to your target audience.
Get Clear on the Financials
Your sale should start with data, not instincts, so make sure you have a professional valuation between six to nine months before you plan to put it up for sale. This is so you have a clear target figure in place and an assessment of what might be holding your property back. Estate agents conducting early appraisals will be able to identify the tired kitchen splashback, the dated bathroom, or the overgrown garden that's potentially leaving thousands on the table.
Armed with this knowledge, you can then make strategic decisions about where to invest your budget for maximum impact. However, preparation doesn't mean embarking on ambitious renovation projects. In fact, major structural changes shortly before sale often raise more questions than they answer in buyers' minds. Instead, focus on the essential fixes—the mundane but critical repairs that eliminate buyer objections, such as fixing dripping taps that could hint at plumbing problems or replacing cracked tiles that make a room look drab.
Freshen Up the Exterior
The harsh truth about property selling is that most buyers will dismiss your home within fifteen seconds of viewing the online listing photographs—or even faster if they pull up outside for a viewing and don’t like what they see. Your front garden, driveway, and front door are the crucial first impression that either invites buyers in or sends them searching elsewhere. So, this is where your preparation efforts should begin.
Pressure-wash the façade to clear away years of grime, moss, and weathering that you've likely stopped noticing but which screams neglect to fresh eyes, and clean the gutters to make sure they’re free from fallen leaves and debris. Your front door deserves particular attention too. You might consider repainting it in a fresh, contemporary colour, and you could even replace the hardware for a quick, impactful update. New house numbers, a clean doormat, and perhaps a potted plant on either side of the entrance cost very little but send the message that the property has been well-cared for.
Tidy Up the Landscaping
Gardens have become a desirable feature in the post-pandemic market, and buying a home with outdoor space is now a genuine priority for many buyers. You don’t want to create an ornately designed space, however. Instead, you want to demonstrate that the garden is easy to manage and keep tidy without becoming overwhelming to appeal to a wider range of potential viewers.
Neaten up the edges around lawns by investing in a half-moon edging tool to create crisp borders, and weed through the beds. Specialists in landscaping and gardening supplies, Heritage Products, recommend topping off beds with a thick layer of bark mulch to create a beautiful but low-maintenance garden, while also keeping the soil healthy and nourished.
Stage for a Great First Impression
Staging is so important to show your home in its best light. This starts with decluttering and depersonalising your home—separate tasks but equally important. Decluttering means taking out unnecessary belongings that are using valuable space, so you have clear work surfaces in the kitchen, more room in bedrooms and living rooms, and open expanses of wall space that all make your property look more spacious.
Depersonalising goes one step further, requiring you to remove the character-filled décor items that make your home unique to you but may not appeal to a buyer. You want your viewers to be able to picture themselves in your home, which is much easier for them to do with a blank canvas. While your home is on the market, take down family photographs, holiday souvenirs, kids’ artwork from the fridge, and mementos from shelves and mantles to keep the home as clean and tidy as possible.
While no-one can know for certain what 2026 has in store, the property market will reward preparation over optimism. Doing so will help you position your property in the right way to earn maximum value when the anticipated rebound arrives.
For many the first point in a house move journey is to understand the value of their current home. Whether you want a quick, instant online valuation or a more robust specific and individual valuation, we would be delighted to help – contact us today.
