House Doctor Book

Ignore Ann Maurice's impersonation of American Psycho on the front cover, the contents of House Doctor really aren't anything to be nervous of. This book accompanies the popular Channel 5 series featuring the very straight-talking Californian property stylist. Her mission: to make simple, inexpensive changes to the presentation of your home to increase its value and your chances of selling it. Like the show, the emphasis here is not on striking or dramatic makeovers in the Changing Rooms style. You aren't meant to like the designs, they should be subtle, almost a neutral canvas so the people visiting your house can imagine themselves living there. As Ann continually reiterates, the biggest mistake sellers make is in assuming that because they love their home, a prospective buyer will feel the same. None of the designs will excite but all have proven to be, in a bland kind of way, the ideal way to add value to your home and ensure it appeals to the majority of people entering your front door. Ann's advice is mostly good common sense but as some of these "pre-makeover" photographs show; common sense is a rare quality amongst homeowners. This is where her tasteful intervention is required. Seven chapters take you through the houses with before and after shots of exteriors, entrances, reception rooms, kitchens, bedrooms, bathrooms and gardens. Anyone who's seen the show will recognise much, if not all, of what they see here. The same remedies are repeated throughout; clean furiously, fix anything broken, hide anything ugly and make rooms as light and airy as possible--people want space, not to see a lifetime accumulation of worldly possessions. Remembering to remove traces of everyday chores--washing up, ironing board, etc, and avoid over personalisation. These cures sound and look all too easy but remarkably seem to work every time. All in all, a cheap and cheery read, but if you are trying to sell your house you could do a lot worse than follow this doctor's orders. --Rachel O'ConnorRead More