Spring is definitely here and as the temperatures start to rise, so does activity in the housing market.

"We're entering a prime time for house sales with spring and early summer traditionally a busy period," said Adrian Hogarth of Cumbrian Properties.

"There's always lots more activity at this time of year with our staff kept busy arranging valuations and viewings. But our customers can also play their part by making sure their home is ready to be seen."

Adrian has this advice on how to make sure your property looks great in the brochure and on the website, and making an impression once you've got the viewer into your home.

1. Kerb appeal: it takes just 60 seconds from seeing a house for buyers to decide whether they want to look further so it's vital to get them over the threshold.

Tidy up your outside space, trim trees and shrubs if overgrown, weed the driveway or front garden and clean your front door and windows. It's also a good idea to move your cars off the drive so that buyers can park there.

You could also invest in a few colourful spring flowers for window boxes or front borders.

2. Declutter: you might think all those family photos look lovely but your viewers won't.

Pack up personal items, clear out the majority of shoes and coats from the cloakroom and do the same in wardrobes to make them look bigger.

Prospective buyers want to see clean lines and uncluttered surfaces that create a feeling of space. You can store all your gear at a friend's house for the day or in a storage unit for longer-term. This applies to furniture too.

Tidy up your shelves, again putting books, etc, in storage, and make sure your kitchen worktops have a minimum of items on them. And don't forget to tidy the back garden too.

3. Clean, clean, clean: it goes without saying that your house should be scrupulously clean inside and out. Wash down paintwork so it gleams, dust all the nooks and crannies, not forgetting light shades and fittings, dust all surfaces, clean windows and mop and vacuum throughout.

Check the ceilings for cobwebs and if you have the time, wash the curtains or freshen them up on the washing line. Get into the habit of keeping on top of the tidying so you won't be caught out by a viewing.

4. DIY: take a long hard look at your house - are there lots of small unfinished DIY jobs that add up to one big headache for a possible buyer?

Tackle them now - replace blown light bulbs, fix that dripping tap or broken doorbell, tighten loose screws, nail down loose floorboards or flapping lino and make sure all doors and windows fasten properly.

If necessary buy a tester pot of paint to touch up scuff marks. Don't give your viewer the impression you don't care about your house.

5. Freshen up: we've all visited houses that haven't smelled the best, whether because of pets, smokers or cooking odours.

Chances are we couldn't wait to get out of there so don't let that happen to you. Banish the animals on viewing days, send the smokers outside and keep all doors closed and windows open when cooking.

You could also try the coffee and baking bread tip but that's hard to keep up long-term. More realistic is a discreet air freshener - nothing too overpowering or viewers will wonder what you're trying to cover up - or, even better, a dab of vanilla essence on a warm radiator.

6. Give viewers space: put on all the lights, close all the doors then when people come to view your home, show them around then leave them alone.

Let them wander about to get a feel for the place, at liberty to open drawers and cupboards and make comments out of your hearing. Be ready also to answer any questions after the viewing.

Adrian said: "These steps to selling your home might seem obvious but you'd be surprised how easy it is to overlook something that could make a difference to attracting a buyer or not.

"I'd recommend asking a friend, or your agent, to be brutally honest about what might need attention. Follow the advice, make sure your property is correctly priced and before long you're sure to be on the move!"