Now is a tough time for the property market. If you need to sell up then you need all the help you can get.  Here are a few top tips.

The first thing to bear in mind when trying to sell your house is that you must set a realistic price. Be wary of accepting the valuation of anybody who is being paid a percentage commission as they may be tempted to over-inflate the asking price. If the price is too high you will not get the interest, and that really is the end of the story.

How can you tell what is a realistic price? One obvious way is by looking at the prices similar properties around the area have sold for. This needs to be combined with a bit of common senses though, as the condition that a property is in counts for a lot.

On the subject of condition, whether you should undertake any kind of large scale renovation work prior to selling is something to weigh up very carefully. Properties that have a fair bit of work needing doing to them are actually very popular, but those that will be interested will want to see a substantial discount. If there is work that can be done quickly and without excessive expense that will change the status of the property from the ‘fixer-upper’ to the ready to live in bracket then this can obviously pay off.

Aside from more renovation concerns perhaps involving heating and fixtures there is also the issue of decoration. As a general rule you should not spend a lot of time and money fretting over the finer points of interior decoration for a house that you are in the process of selling. Just about everybody who buys a house will want to decorate it to their own personal liking when they move in anyway, and the chances are that the fancy wallpaper you forked out for will be being steamed off before the ink is dry on the contract.

Of course saying that a large amount should not be spent on decoration is not the same as saying there are no circumstances in which taking action to make the property more presentable makes sense. Far from it in fact.

When most people are looking for houses they are looking for the place that will become their home. This means that when they view the property they are able to imagine themselves living there, and for that to be a good picture in their minds. It is best to present a somewhat neutral canvas for their imagination. If you have rooms with dark or lurid colour schemes, consider investing in a pot of magnolia.

The amount of space in a property is critical in determining its value. While you cant do anything to influence the surveyors tape measure, you can improve how spacious the property feels. Light colours and mirrors will increase how spacious rooms feel, but another good trick is to try and remove as much in terms of items from the house while still letting it look like a home. Package up those nicknacks and excess furniture and put it into storage – at the very least it will lighten the load on move day.

Once you have your buyer there are still a lot of things to have to take into consideration. Not least of these are the legal concerns. The amount that of money that is concerned in property transactions is very great, and that is not the limit of the legal mumbo jumbo. Certain solicitors specialise in the law around selling a house.

The most important thing is not to be patient and not lose heart. Thousands of houses are sold every day, even in the current climate. Do the right things, don’t give up and you too will be able to sell your house.