Home Selling Guide: Preparing Your House For Sale: Entrance Hall

Whether you have a large hall or a small corridor, the entrance is a potential buyer's first glimpse of the inside of your home and is therefore vital to a sale.

The key to a successful entrance hall from the point of view of selling a home is ensuring that it is a welcoming space, as it creates an atmosphere for the rest of the house.

But making your hallway more appealing to potential buyers as part of preparing your home for a sale needn't be costly.

Magazine racks, a stack of muddy boots, coats on the floors, door handles and banister. These are all regular parts of everyday life, but for potential buyers clutter is a big turn-off.

Take this clutter out of the hallway and keep as much of the floor surface as free as possible as well as ensuring coat racks are emptied of all but a couple of items.

Above all ensure that potential buyers have freedom to move. If any furniture should be in the hallway try a small table, some flowers. A mirror also adds a sense of space.

Perhaps keep one adjoining door open, as a teaser to the rest of the house, but avoid opening too many, as this can confuse a potential buyer with too much information.

Decoration is also important when selling a home. Bright wallpaper that doesn't match the floor sets the wrong tone. Decoration or new carpets or flooring may seem costly, but could significantly boost the chances of a sale.

The golden rule for decoration is opting for neutral and light colours. Family photographs and pictures can help show that a home is loved, but keep these to a minimum. Perhaps have one or two pictures on display.

Lighting needs to set the mood and be welcoming. It should avoid being dingy or too bright. Use natural light where possible, buy a lamp and ensure overhead lights have lampshades that point upwards. You want to dazzle potential buyers with your new home but not literally.