To get the best possible price for your property, you'll need to make sure that your place looks good from the street as well as inside. Here are a few hints to help you make your home more appealing to potential buyers.
De-clutter & Furniture Placement:
The aim is to create an atmosphere of your home as a shelter, a place that is warm and safe, and in good condition. I am happy to give you tips on presenting the home for sale, “de-cluttering” or furniture placement to give the illusion of more space and improve traffic flow, as well as, leaving just enough accessories to give your home a personal touch. Apart from the physical requirements, people buy on how they think they will feel in your home.
If your home has been renovated, has a historic background or has
been owned by an important local identity you might like to display
a photo(s) of the original house with the history of the home to
give buyers an insight into the background of the home. Remove any personal fixtures that you want to take from your
home e.g. antique chandeliers. Replace with another fitting so they
won’t need to be listed as exclusions on the contract of sale.
Buyers often feel they are missing out on something if you state
that you want to take a fitting with you. They will also want to
know what you are going to replace it with. Easier to have it
changed before showing your home
Spring Clean:
Give your whole house a good spring clean giving special attention
to your home’s front entry & door. Clean and paint the door if
necessary. The first impression is likely to colour the remainder of
inspection of your home. Check ceiling & light fittings to make sure
that they are clean & there are no cobwebs. Remove any rubbish that
is around the yard or downstairs. Clear out the garage. Hire a skip
if necessary. Tidy up the laundry, wipe down washing machine & store
all dirty laundry in a closed container. Have the carpets cleaned
and give your home a good airing. The best strategy is to remove any
offensive odours rather than try to cover them up. Once offensive
odours are removed, consider adding delightful ones by lighting
scented candles, using a diffuser or air-freshener during
inspections
Pay particular attention to these rooms as are always high on
buyer’s priority lists and are rooms that buyers will scrutinise
closely. Give these rooms a good clean so that everything sparkles.
Don’t forget to wash the curtains & clean the windows. Replace old
silicone around bath & sink areas. Re-grout tiles if some of the
grout has fallen out. Buy new shower curtains & toilet seats. Clear
off the top of the refrigerator. If you must use it for storage use
baskets or bowls to camouflage the items kept there. Remove magnets
or stickers off the front of the refrigerator. Prior to inspections
put fresh matching towels in the bathroom & close toilet seats. Have
the kitchen stove-top clean, the sink sparkling and the bench-tops
de-cluttered to make the kitchen look as large as possible
Get a handyman in to fix all those “little” jobs that never seem to get done. Fix all leaking taps, those kitchen cupboards that don’t close properly or hair-line cracks in plaster walls, etc. A buyer will mentally add up the cost of repairing all the minor flaws and will end up with an amount that is generally much higher than what it would cost you to do the repairs. Small repairs that need to be done can be perceived as owner neglect & they will also lead to the buyers questioning the level of maintenance on the rest of the home e.g. the roof, stumps. As a result, minor flaws can lead to either a lower purchase price or lengthen the time it takes to sell the property. Get everything done before your first showing.
If major work needs doing e.g. painting the outside of the home or
putting in a new ensuite, discuss this with me. I will give you
advice on whether it needs to be done. Often buyers like to put
their own stamp on their new home & you also need to be sure you
will get your money back when you sell if you decide to do the work.
Always disclose anything that you know about the property when you
decide to sell. Having been a consumer yourself, you know that a
buyer will more readily make a purchase decision with someone they
trust.
Keep the lawns neat and tidy while the house is on the market. Weed
& mulch gardens and put in some new plants to “freshen” up the
garden. Trim overhanging tree branches, bushes and vines. Top up
gravel stones around pavers or in other areas. Gravel stones are a
quick & reasonably cheap option to tidy up areas rather than having
soil showing e.g. area of yard that grass won’t grow in or under
stairs. Pay particular attention to the front entrance of the home
as first impressions count
Sweep & wash the driveway to remove any leaves, debris, dirt &
stains. Remove oil marks if there are any on the driveway or in the
garage. Repair any cracks, edge the sides and pull up any weeds. An
electric blower is great for a quick tidy-up
As buyers are always looking for storage space it is a good idea to
tidy up any storage areas as neatly as possible so it is easy to see
what room there is. If your cabinets, drawers & wardrobes are
overflowing, buyers assume that your storage space is inadequate.
Give away items you don’t use, store seldom-used items elsewhere,
and re-organise shelves. Neat, organised shelves and drawers look
larger and more adequate for the prospective buyer’s needs
Australian's
love outdoor living and decks can be a key selling feature of your home. Re-oil the deck so it looks fresh and keep clean while your home is on the market. An attractive outdoor setting will make the deck more appealing. Decks are coming under more scrutiny since a fatal deck accident a few years ago and the majority of buyers are now enquiring as to whether a deck structure has been certified and has Council approval. If your deck is not certified then it would be prudent to contact Council to see whether a certification can be done on your deck before your home is put on the market.Improve Safety:
Remove scatter rugs that could be a trip hazard. Store chemicals out
of the reach of children. Highlight areas with low head room by
attaching a notice “Beware of Your Head” e.g. entrance to under home.
Make sure the Hills clothes hoist is high enough for people to
comfortably walk under
If you do not have fences erected mark the corners of the boundary
of your property with stakes. This is especially useful with large
or irregular lots to prevent misunderstandings about your
representation of the boundary lines. If you have had a survey of
the land and have surveyor pegs in place even better
Have a Pool Safety Inspection done. It is noted on a Contract if a
property has a pool & whether a Certificate is in place. Having a
Certificate will allow the buyer to buy with the confidence that
there is the Certificate is in place and you are not trying to hide
anything. Keep the pool clean & sparkling while your home is on the
market so it looks inviting
Give your house a wash or get it done professionally (low-pressure
or hand-washed). Have the gutters cleared so your home looks its
best during inspections
Lights & Window Dressings:
Check to see if all lights work and the fittings are clean & there
are no cobwebs. Add a battery operated light to walk-in robes if
lighting is inadequate. The lights throughout your home will be put
on during inspections & the blinds & curtains opened to allow your
home to look light & airy
During inspections it is preferable for you to leave the property.
The buyers like to feel free to have a look at the your property and
if you are in the property they usually feel uncomfortable and won’t
take the time to do a thorough inspection or ask questions as they
feel as though they are intruding. They also find it more difficult
to imagine your home as theirs. During the summer months have the
air-conditioner running on a cool setting during inspections.
Create a game plan to have your home ready for inspections. Write
out a list of delegated tasks for each member of your family. It is
especially important for children to be part of the inspection
process. They can be encouraged to pick up clothing, shoes and
personal possessions and do other chores to have your home ready for
inspections
If you have a pet be aware that not all people like animals or
birds. During inspections please organise to have any dogs out of
the house. Cats usually will hide somewhere and sometimes it can be
easier to leave them in the house but it is preferable for them to
be also out of the house during inspections. If you have a bird make
sure the cage is kept clean. Other pets….let me know and I can work
out what needs to happen when inspections take place. Keep outside
pet droppings cleaned up. Prospects will want to walk around your
yard, especially during the home inspection
Source: 90 Ways to Sell your Home Faster and For More Money by Robyn Witzke
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