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Nationwide's top ten tips for selling your house, after studying people's likes and dislikes, is as follows:
- Tidy up? a clutter free environment can make all the difference. Over half of potential buyers say the find an untidy house a major turn off
- Be polite? almost 70% of buyers are put off by a rude seller or estate agent
- Eliminate smells..? 75% of people are put ff by household smells made by pets or cigarettes
- Tackle DIY disasters? poor building work or DIY is a big turn off according to around 90% of those surveyed
- Fix those fence panels? Over 80% of viewers would think twice about putting in an offer on a house with a garden that lacks privacy
- Introduce 'green' features? the majority of homebuyers claim that a house with environmentally friendly features has more of a positive influence on their decision than an attic room (68%), period features (63%) or walk in wardrobes (62%)
- Focus on the kitchen... over half of potential buyers believe this to be the most influential room when making the decision to buy
- Ditch the decking? along with Jacuzzis, decking is one of the features least likely to tempt a potential buyer
- Avoid the summer drought? choose your time to sell carefully. The summer season is traditionally slow as people are away on holiday, and over November and December as people prepare for Christmas
- Watch out for HIPs this summer? From August 1 it will be a legal obligation for owners of homes over four bedrooms to commission a HIP, or home information pack
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A billionaire's thatched cottage is for sale in Surrey, once owned by the oil magnate J. Paul GettyChestnut Cottage is a joyous little home — albeit one with the most unusual bedrooms to acreage to price balances we've ever seen. Toby Keel takes a look inside.
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Debo Mitford on her childhood at Asthall Manor, from Nancy's 'coming out' dance to Unity's peach-pinching waysThe Dowager Duchess of Devonshire looks back on her childhood in the Cotswold idyll of Asthall Manor.
