I struggled to sell my two-bedroom London home for six months until I made one crucial change - the flat was snapped up just 10 days later for the £625,000 asking price

Daily Mail​

02-08-2025

A Victorian flat that was languishing on the market for six months with no offers has sold for its £625,000 asking price within 10 days of being staged.
Homeowner Kathryn had been struggling to sell the two-bedroom two-bathroom property in West Hampstead, London, and decided to 'dress it up' as a last resort.
While some buyers can look beyond the surface and imagine the changes they want to make to a property, many are looking for homes they can instantly imagine themselves living in.
So, Kathryn hired a team to jazz up her home - including dressing the rental furniture, adding vibrant pops of colour through décor, and incorporating accessories such as rugs, mirrors and stylish artwork to showcase the potential of each room.
In the kitchen, new utensils and pots were decorated neatly on the kitchen counter, while still maintaining a largely clear surface area.
The bedrooms were glammed up with patterned pillows and colourful throws. Artwork and mirrors were also added to brighten up the space as they were matched with complementary lighting fixtures and lampshades.
The living area was jazzed up with bright cushions, a rug, swanky coffee tables, and decorative vases.
Together with plants and wall hangings, the smartly laid-out dinner table added to the welcoming feel of the room.
Other small touches in the bathroom - like fresh towels and potted plants - made a huge difference to the vibe of Kathryn's home before she relisted the property in January.
Her estate agent quickly arranged 12 viewings and, just 10 days later, three offers were made resulting in a best and final offer at the asking price of £625,000.
Kathryn bought the flat in 2001 for £195,000 and undertook a huge renovation, transforming it into a two-bedroom, two-bathroom flat.
A year later, Kathryn moved out and rented the property for 20 years, which took its toll on the decor.
Last year, Kathryn decided to sell the flat and put it on the market for £575,000 - discounted to take into account that it needed work.
Six months later, the property still hadn't sold - forcing Kathryn to reduce the asking price again.
'Everybody could see that it needed quite a bit of work,' Kathryn said. 'It was too much of a project and so we didn't get any offers at all even though it had been on the market a long time at a significant discount.
'I was nervous of Capital Gains Tax rising in October so I was desperately trying to sell it pre-budget and it just wouldn't, so I realised I was going to have to bite the bullet and renovate it myself.'
After spending £55,000 on the renovation, Kathryn felt the state of the flat was dramatically improved but still looked empty and bare. She enlisted the help of ThePropertyStagers to give it a makeover and the flat sold within 10 days for £625,000.
The staging significantly enhanced its appeal, particularly on RightMove, contributing to its quick sale.
Kathryn said: 'I was aware of property staging, and the flat looked really sad and empty, so I contacted a couple of companies, one of which was ThePropertyStagers and I really liked their responsiveness and I warmed to what they said they were going to do for me.
'The flat was also partially furnished because I kept some of the furniture in case it didn't sell again and I needed to re-rent it. They were very flexible, working around my furniture, which was very helpful.
'When you've spent so much on renovating, an extra few thousand wasn't an issue. The difference when I walked in after they'd staged it, it was like a different flat. It was unbelievable what they did!'
For Kathryn, it was a huge relief as she wanted to complete the sale before the Stamp Duty changes in April.
She said: 'We wouldn't have had that much interest had the flat not been staged, because it made each of the rooms stand out in the photos we used on RightMove.
'There were lots of similar flats on the market but mine really stood out, which I don't think it would have done without the staging.'
Liv Conlon revealed that when it comes to selling a home it's all about sticking to neutral tones, clearing clutter and adding pops of colour, texture and pattern with soft furnishings
'Their team used a colour scheme that I would never have thought of myself, with lots of bright yellow, which against the navy kitchen and the grey bathrooms, really looked great - especially in the photos, which drew you in and made you look.'
Liv Conlon, who was crowned The UK Young Entrepreneur of the Year in 2019 after founding ThePropertyStagers at just 16, says staging a property to sell is very different to how people live at home.
The team uses props including artwork and accessories to make houses more appealing.
The 25-year-old revealed that when it comes to selling a home it's all about sticking to neutral tones, clearing clutter and adding pops of colour, texture, and pattern with soft furnishings.
Liv, who is originally from Glasgow but now lives in Marbella, said: 'Property staging can make the difference between a home not selling, and being sold in just days - I've seen it happen so many times.
'Viewers want to imagine themselves living in the space, so if it's empty or decorated too personally, it becomes more difficult.
'ThePropertyStagers staged the kitchen and dining area with bright accessories, bold artwork, a cosy rug, as well as oversized vases, and giant mirrors.
'We also set up the dining table with crockery, and added colourful cushions on the sofas. In the two bedrooms, we dressed the double beds, adding blankets, lamps, vases and artwork.