With home affordability at its best since 1997, many Brits may be considering selling their home.
The housing market is particularly attractive for first time buyers at the moment, with typical mortgage payments for a new borrower at 27 per cent of disposable earnings - below the average of 27 per cent over the past 37 years.
Sales activity also remained firm during December and an increasing amount of new stock came onto the housing market, according to the latest Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) UK Housing Market survey.
In order to capitalise on the current environment, homeowners may want to spruce-up their property before putting it on the market.
Decorating is a great way of regenerating a property and making it stand out from the crowd.
According to industry experts, strategic colour will be a huge trend in 2012 and is a great way to attract prospective buyers.
Alan Hughes, faculty director in architectural interior design at Inchbald.co.uk, explained that as people move away from neutral beige tones, strategic colour is the perfect way to brighten up a room.
However, he warns that "you need to like a colour immediately and instinctively, but it also needs to hold its appeal over time".
People must ask themselves if they will love a bold colour in the future before taking the plunge.
"Research extensively – look at magazines and books but more importantly, check out colour in the context of nature and different disciplines that might be represented in the finished room – from furniture to ceramics, textiles and art," he advised.
For those looking to make a space feel intimate, consider warm colours, such as reds and ochre. Alternatively, Mr Hughes advises using cool colours to make a room feel larger.
Brits should also consider how a colour will accent a room and complement existing décor and lighting.
