Many of you will have purchased your lodge from new and will probably remember the WOW factor you felt when you first walked through the door. You should try to replicate this, more so, if there are still new lodges for sale on the park, which will be in competition with you.

Direct email enquiries are sent straight through to the lodge owner and it will then be up to you to arrange a viewing, conducting it yourself, or alternatively, asking the park.

We have complied a 'prepare your lodge' check list to help maximise the price you achieve, which we hope you will find useful.

Starting with the exterior of your lodge and landscaped area.

• Whilst your park owner will be responsible for the maintenance of the landscaping around your lodge, it doesn't do any harm to give lawn edges a little more of a trim, or remove any weeds that may have been missed.
• Wash your driveway, footpaths, patios and decking.
• If you have a block paved driveway, remove any weeds that may have surfaced between bricks.
• Does the decking need  a good coat of woodstain?
• Inspect all the outside of your home, including the gutters, downpipes
• When was it last wood stained, or in the case of Conexcel or similar, had a good wash down? If your lodge is under 10 years old and still under warranty, you may be asked to prove that you have regularly wood stained your lodge and when.
• Are all external light fittings working, if not, replace the bulbs. Your future viewers may do a flyby in the evening.
• Ensure your windows are always clean, bright and shiny.
• Arrange your garden furniture tidily and unless it is raining, open the garden parasol to create the lifestyle
• Kerb appeal is absolutely essential and a great indication as to what your lodge may be like on the inside too!

The interior of your lodge

• If your lodge has been used entirely as your holiday home and not rented out, completely depersonalise by removing all photographs and ornaments.
• Thoroughly clean the entire lodge.
• Clean all the windows, window frames and blinds.
• Check your carpets—are there any stains? If there are, either hire a carpet shampooer or hire a professional carpet cleaner. For what it costs in relation to what you want for your lodge, they may not be as expensive as you think. Dirty carpets are a complete turnoff to a prospective purchaser!
• Clean any vinyl or tiled floors.
• If you have pets, be sure to remove any pet odour and if you smoke, any smoke odour. If in doubt ask a non-smoking friend without pets to check for you. Smell is a major part of what a buyer will remember about your lodge.
• Keep a window open as often as you can and place fresh flowers throughout the lodge

• Thoroughly clean all counter tops, cupboards, appliances, oven, hob, microwave, fridge and sink in the kitchen. Clear and store away as much as you can off the counter top.
• If you have a dishwasher, you can purchase special cleaners which work by running a wash. Then hook on to the shelf a dishwasher air freshener. Much better when the prospective buyer opens the dishwasher to smell the fresh smell of lemons, than last night’s washing up!
• Clean extractor fan hood.
• Clean the grouting in between the tiles.
• In the bathrooms, thoroughly clean the toilets, bath tubs, mirrors, hand basins and wash the shower walls. If you have a shower curtain—has it seen better days and become a little stained? Replace it, preferably with a plain white one to make the bathroom seem larger. Always show the toilet with the seat and toilet cover down!
• Clean the extractor fan.

And finally, pay attention to the little things 

• Tighten any loose door knobs
• Clean all the wall mounted light switches
• Fix any leaky taps
• Tighten any loose towel rails
• Oil any squeaky doors and drawers
• Fix any squeaky floor