The garden's in full swing, the light lasts until nine, and buyers are out in force with the school holidays on the horizon. Summer is one of the best windows in the year to sell, because your home has never looked more like the place someone wants to live. The trick is making the most of it. Here's how.

Start at the front door

Summer buyers judge the outside before they've even parked. So give them a good first look. Mow the lawn, pull the weeds out of the drive, and cut back anything that's straggling over the path. A couple of pots of colour by the door do more than you'd think, and a quick wipe-down of the front door and windows makes the whole place read as cared-for. None of this costs much. All of it tells a buyer the home has been looked after.

Sell the outside, not just the inside

A garden, a patio, even a small balcony is a genuine selling point in summer, and it's the one thing winter viewings can never show off. So stage it like a room. Clean the furniture, set out some seating, lay the table as if people are about to eat outside. You're helping the buyer picture the long summer evening they'd spend out there. That picture is what they're really buying.

Let the light and air in

On viewing day, throw the windows open and let the light flood in. Fresh flowers on the table, blinds up, the place cool and airy. Hot days can make a closed-up house feel stuffy in minutes, so air it out beforehand and keep it that way. A home that feels bright and breathes easy is a home people linger in, and lingering is what you want.

Time viewings for when the home looks its best

Every house has a best hour. Watch how the light moves through yours and book viewings for when the garden catches the sun and the rooms glow. Steer clear of the harshest midday heat indoors if you can. A little thought about timing means buyers see your home at its most flattering rather than at its most sweltering.

Get the photos right for the season

If your listing was shot under a grey winter sky, reshoot it. Photographs taken on a bright day, blue sky overhead and the garden in bloom, sell the summer lifestyle in a way words can't. It's the first thing most buyers see, often before they've decided whether to book at all. Fresh summer photos are worth every bit of the effort.

Be ready for the drop-in

Summer brings spontaneous viewings. Someone's passing, they've seen the board, they'd love a look this afternoon. Keep the place presentable day to day so you can say yes. The buyer who comes on impulse is often the one who's serious, and you don't want to turn them away because the kitchen's mid-chaos.

Play the summer rhythm

There's a natural pattern to the season. Families want to be settled before the new school year, so they're motivated to move now. At the same time, some buyers are away on holiday, which can make things feel quieter for a fortnight here and there. Knowing that helps you price sensibly and not panic if a slow week comes along.

The summer market right now

Here's the backdrop, and it matters for how you present and price. Around 36,500 homes came to market last week, in line with the usual summer flow, so buyers have plenty to choose from. And they are choosing carefully. In June, only 13.8% of the homes on agents' books found a buyer, down from 14.6% in May. Even more telling: of the homes that left agents' books in June, just half actually exchanged and completed. The other half were withdrawn unsold. One in two sellers who came off the market simply stayed put.

That's the real story of a competitive summer. The homes that sell are the ones that look their best and are priced right. Where value holds, it holds well: the average home sold in June achieved £350.22 per square foot, up 1.9% on last year and 12.3% higher than five years ago. Good presentation and a sensible price are what turn a viewing into a sale.

Thinking of selling this summer?

If you're weighing up a move, the two things most within your control are how your home shows and what you ask for it. Get both right and you give yourself the best possible run at the season.

That starts with an honest, local valuation of what your home is really worth today. At Muvin, powered by eXp UK, that's exactly where we begin. Book yours here: https://muvin.co.uk/valuation/