So you are ready to list your home for sale.
You have made a big emotion decision to move. Before you get overly excited and start imagining yourself in a new property, it is crucial you focus on selling your current one first. Don't rush this preparation as getting this right will help sell the home as quickly as possible.
So how can you ensure that the property is irresistible to not just one but as many purchasers as possible?
Buyers want to be able to imagine themselves living in the property, and you need to focus on this as you get the home ready. You want to create an emotional connection that results in a sale. For this to happen, a buyer must not have to deal with looking at your personal effects or clutter.
Do your homework. It is also important to know who is buying in your area - is it mainly young couples, downsizers, growing families? Show your buyer why your house is so great.
You may have bought the property because of its fantastic pool room, but perhaps that space would be better highlighted as a formal living space in the current market. So, let's store the pool table!
Look at all the homes for sale in your area new and established. What prices, what condition, what aspect. Review the current 'trends' regarding style and floor plan? How does your home compare? Again, be objective. One of the biggest comment's agents say about sellers, are many think their homes are better than they are.
Selling property is hard work. And is known that the higher the property appeal the quicker the sale. It's not just price. If a purchaser loves a home, they will stretch themselves a little further to make sure they are the successful purchaser.
So, what do we suggest?
- Be objective about how your property appears and look at it through a potential buyer's eyes.
- Ask your most honest friend who you trust and value to share their view on the home. List their thoughts.
- Take loads of photos of the property yourself, from every angle, inside and out. Now, review these thoroughly.
- Consider renting a storage shed or access a friend's shed as part of your clean up strategy
- List all the repairs or maintenance to complete. List all the tasks room by room, area by area- inside and out.
Now work your way through the tasks. Here's a sample of what you need to do.
Bathrooms need to be free of clutter.
Hair products, shaving accessories and moisturisers need to be neatly tucked away when potential buyers are viewing your home. Just like removing family photos from the living room helps to depersonalise your space, getting rid of bathroom clutter helps buyers imagine themselves in your home.
Donate the 1980's jacket or at least pop it in the storage shed.
Cupboards need to be tidy. Removing everything except the essentials. Use matching hangers and storage boxes to make them look neat and tidy. Buyers want cupboards with plenty of room; ensure all cupboards in your home give an instant impression of spaciousness.
Get rid of the Lego and the netball trophies.
Bedrooms need to be tidy and free from too much furniture. One dressing table or chest and two bedside tables. Use a bedhead as this balances the room. Borrow from a friend if you need. Choose linens that appeal to both male and female buyers. You want buyers to be able to visualise their furniture in the room without wondering whether everything will fit.
Spruce up the kitchen handles.
Replace handles, paint Laminex, replace taps all excellent home staging tip. This small expenditure can offer a substantial return on investment by giving buyers the impression of a modern kitchen. Clear kitchen benches of all appliances and make sure every surface is spotless.
Throw out those old paint tins.
Sheds and garages need to be tidy too. Tools away, stored or popped in that storage shed, cupboards emptied except for the essentials.
Mow the lawns, paint the fence.
Trim back the roses, remove the dead wood. This is just as important as inside. Tackle this task early in the process so the garden has time to flourish ready for sale time.
Staging your home to encourage a quick sale doesn't have to cost you hundreds of dollars. It's really the time that is important. So, give yourself that time to make all this work pay off.
By improving the look of your home and you will increase the odds buyers will find your place inviting and warm and potentially a quick sale.
Julie O'Donohue
Updated 29/1/2019
