Selling Tips
First impressions last. You probably remember the first time you saw the property you are now selling and there is no doubt your buyers will too – they are the ones who will make a connection to buy on an emotional or rational level. So ensure your presentation is perfect. Start on your footpath and take yourself on a tour through your own “Open Home”. How does the property and garden appear on first impression? Note what appeals to you about the home and what could be done to make it more appealing. Does the property look well maintained or neglected?
Put yourself in the shoes of a buyer, if the gardens and front of the house are not appealing, why would you want to look inside? Small details will make your property stand out from the rest. The research shows that it only takes a prospective buyer 90 seconds to make a decision to enter a home open or keep driving!
Outside
Ensure the front and back lawn and gardens are lush and green, Keep your lawn and edges tidy, remove any weeds, trim back overgrown trees or shrubs. Pressure clean paved areas and driveways. Consider a trip to the tip as clutter can accumulate in garden spaces as well – our indoor/outdoor lifestyle gives you the opportunity to style your garden area as an ‘outdoor room’… A minimal investment in some bright pebbles for tired looking garden beds and some new low maintenance plants can make a huge difference!
If you have a pool it must be crystal clean. Set the scene and buyers will visualize how they can entertain there family and friends.
De-clutter
Remove any items that make rooms/benches look small, including furniture. Remember, buyers have to be able to imagine themselves living in your home. Re-arrange furniture to enhance the rooms and keep in mind, less is best!
Bedrooms
Tidy up wardrobes, fold and arrange everything neatly. Hang shirts all facing the same direction, line all shoes up together. Now is the perfect time to buy new bed linen.
Consider moving furniture to ‘open up the space from the vantage point’. Functionality and what looks best can often be opposite to each other! Make sure the furniture in each room is just enough to describe what the room is used for, and not too much that the buyer can’t move around easily. Seemingly dead spaces can be turned into something more appealing with strategic placement of furniture.
Clean and Fresh
Clean the carpets and polish the floors. Wash windows and walls inside and out. Remove cobwebs, clean stains from around taps, baths, and showers. Dust ceiling fans and fixtures. Bleach stained tile grout. Hang out fresh towels in bathrooms. Put your best looking linen on show in the bedrooms. Consider plug-in air fresheners, or brewing coffee prior to open homes. Clean everything and everywhere including light fittings and windows. Remove all cobwebs, they are not a good look.
Odours
House odours are number one on the home selling list. And narrowing it down, odours from cigarette smoke and pets take top billing, with mildew not far behind.If you smoke indoors-the house smells like cigarettes. If you have pets, the house might smell bad-even if you don’t notice it. Ask someone who doesn’t live there to take a sniff, and don’t get angry when they tell you the truth.Eradicate the odours so that you can present potential buyers with a clean, fresh atmosphere-not a house that’s full of perfumes to cover up the odours.
Paint:
Neutral colours are best. You may like 4 different coloured walls, however this may be too overwhelming for a buyer. You will be amazed at what a fresh coat of paint will do.
Repairs
Replace cracked tiles, repair damaged walls, Leaking taps, squeaky doors, loose door knobs– fix them all. fix doors that don’t close properly, freshen tired or damaged paint and timberwork, ensure all drawers, blinds and awnings work smoothly and that all lights are working. Consider repainting any bright walls a neutral colour. Have carpets and curtains professionally cleaned, don’t underestimate the benefits of a Spring Clean! A buyer will notice everything.
Bathroom
It must sparkle! Ensure it looks fresh and store away your personal items during the home opens.
Kitchen
The kitchen is one of the most important parts of a home. Keep bench tops free of clutter. Clear everything off kitchen counters. Tidy up and rearrange all cupboards, stack all dishes neatly, turn all cup handles the same way, stack all tins in order, in this way your buyers will get the message that this home is looked after. A stylish kettle and toaster can stay if they enhance the kitchen’s appeal. The cupboards and pantry should give the impression of ample storage so discard anything you no longer use. Clean ALL kitchen appliances.
Pets
Pets should be removed when your home is open for inspection to eliminate buyers becoming distracted. Dogs frighten some people and irritate others. You’ll have a much better response from showings if you control your pets. You say you plan to put them in a bedroom or garage not to open the door to that area? Please think about if you’ve heard not to open the door to that area when you try to buy a home. Would it be a good experience? Would you buy a house you can’t inspect? Of course not. Remove pets during showings if possible. If you can’t, contain them in crates for their own safety and to show respect for the feelings of potential buyers. Remove pet food and open the windows to eliminate pet odours.
Consider a Stylist
If the house is empty it is worth employing a stylist to furnish the property, to enhance appeal and create warmth. This will also be advantageous when the property is professionally photographed.
Presentation for home open:
Fresh flowers will make your home smell great. Open doors, shutters and windows to maximise natural light. Consider the temperature of the property, i.e. if it’s winter or summer. Also give thought to when the inspection is best conducted – will a twilight viewing best highlight that Balinese pavilion by the pool? Give a quick tidy, ensuring kitchen and bins are in order. Consider turning on lights and lamps to create ambience. Try to keep pets outside. Safely store your valuables. Most importantly – leave for the duration of the inspection; potential buyers won’t feel comfortable giving honest feedback if you are there. Have all curtains open to allow the sunlight in. A bowl of lollies in the kitchen will assist buyers in remembering your home.
