Want to sell quickly and for the highest possible price? So does everyone. But after working with hundreds of property sellers over the years there are home presentation strategies that work and those that don’t!
It’s important to get your property sale right. So do it right the first time. Follow these 5 simple and low-cost tips to a quicker sale at a higher price. Sounds good, doesn’t it?
Tip #1 Landscaping: De clutter your entrance
Prune back unruly shrubs
Clear away dead leaves
Weed the flower beds
Mow the lawn, and use an edger to tidy up any messy lines
Water blast pavers, driveways, and the outside of your house
Buy some new soil or mulch, for a fresh looking garden
Tip #2 Repair: Show buyers a functional, well looked after property
Check the lights work / replace any blown light bulbs
Tighten up loose hinges and wobbly doors
Spray WD-40 on creaking doors and fittings
Fix any cracked glass on windows
Remove broken and old fly-screens
Paint over cracks and patches on the walls
Regrout silicon joints in bathroom/kitchen bench top
The little things matter because they indicate to a potential buyer the condition of the overall property. A buyer who sees a well-functioning surface feels comfortable that the things they CAN’T see are also well-functioning.
Tip #3 Freshen up: Modernise your look with a few low-cost upgrades
Check your light fittings: are they cracked, old or outdated?
Look at light-switches and power-plugs: do they take you back to the 90’s and have a yellow tinge to the plastic?
Door handles: all the same and in a classic or modern style?
What about cupboard and drawer handles?
Tapware: looking dated or install something new and modern?
Get organised, arrange a handyman ahead of time, and then go to a big hardware store to buy everything you need.
These simple upgrades can turn rooms and spaces that are terribly dated into charming and fresh looks.
Tip #4 Declutter: Maximise the feeling of spaciousness
Remove all excess furniture – think chests of drawers, filing cabinets, bookcases, additional seats, etc
Clear away all ornaments, piles of paper, books by the side of the bed, appliances that sit on the bench, etc
Inside your cupboards, drawers and storage areas take the excuse to have a good clean out and remove at least 50% of what was inside!
Everything you are able to remove makes space look bigger to prospective buyers, so be ruthless and clean out all those things that are “practical” but take up floor space
This tip is the one that is so often neglected because it isn’t that fun to go through your things and throw things out. If you are successful selling your house then you will have to do this anyway, and you may as well do it earlier and benefit from a better-looking home open!
The rule I use is: If I haven’t used this in the last 12 months, I don’t need it. That is a lot easier said than done, so another good trick is to rent some storage space ahead of time, and just store everything to get it out of the house. You may find even a couple of months later you are a lot less attached to items that before you “simply couldn’t live without”!
Tip #5 Spring Clean: Have buyers feeling ready to move in
Once you have de-cluttered, it is time to give the place a thorough spring cleanAs you are cleaning out the linen cupboard, wipe the shelves out and refold the linen so it looks neat and tidy. In the laundry, wipe down all the shelves and clean the dryer filter as well as the appliances themselves. Vacuum all those hard to reach places under the bed, behind the couch, underneath the rug, etc. Clean out the pantry and wipe down the fridge as well as all the cupboards and drawers in the kitchen. Give the bathrooms a solid clean so that the shower, basins and tubs look fresh and sparkling. Give all the windows a good clean inside and out. Think about what you would expect if you went to a 5-star hotel. Clean sheets, no dust anywhere, impeccably clean bathroom, right? The same is true of people coming through your home on Open Home day.
So for the sake of four weekends and under $2000, put your best foot forward to potential buyers. You will sell faster (less home opens!) and for a higher price (we all want that!).
Also, if you get organised then this will make life less stressful later on when you need to move. You’ll be drinking champagne and searching for your next dream house instead of madly packing and cleaning out the old place.
NEED MORE ADVICE ABOUT STAGING YOUR HOME FOR SALE?
With 20 years’ experience, I can guide you on how best to present your home for a maximum dollar sale. Doing it right means a highly successful and stress-reduced outcome. Let me give you the Sellers Advantage in any market, for any property type, in any suburb.
Call Claude Iaconi of Edison Property NOW on 0412 427 877