Complete Guide to Preparing Your Home For Sale

Selling your home? but where to start.

We know that putting your property on the market can be a very stressful time. With so much going on, it may be overwhelming to think about the physical changes your home needs. However, when selling a home, a few minor touch-ups can make a huge difference and go a long way towards making a favourable impression on potential buyers.

Boosting Your Curb Appeal

Before a buyer even steps inside your home, they will see it first from the road. While you may focus on perfecting the look of your properties’ interior, the first thing buyers see will be its exterior. A good first impression is essential when selling your property as many potential buyers are likely to be put off by a poorly maintained front garden.

Improve your home’s street appeal by undertaking the following:

• Simple gardening, ensure lawns are mowed and weeds removed.
• Sweep the front approach areas and clear the entrance way of any leaves or foliage.
• Wash the exterior of the house and ensure paintwork is pristine.
• Water blast concrete areas.
• Remove any clutter from around the property.
• Add potted plants to add appeal to the first impression.
• Consider adding solar lights to the garden beds

Cleaning

Be prepared to invest a little bit of your time into ensuring that your property is clean. Your buyers will be drawn to a bright, fresh feel.

Storage

• Cleaning out garages and sheds to show how much storage space is available.
• In the kitchen, clean out the pantry and clear appliances off the bench top to create an impression of more space.
• In the bedrooms, clearing out wardrobes (particularly walk ins), remove clutter of shelving and bedside tables.
• Any walk in storage rooms, ensure all linens/towels etc are folded and large items are placed on lower shelving if possible.

Depersonalise

• Remove personal photos and items of value.
• Remove magnets, notices & children’s artwork from the fridge.
• we recommend using professional staging or styling to help your property appeal to a wider range of buyers.
• Think about painting over bold colours and outdated wallpaper and introducing a neutral palate.
• Check out other local open homes or display homes to get a feel of what works and what does not.

Property Maintenance

It may not be necessary to conduct expensive work before selling your home however, small maintenance upgrades can make a huge difference to your home.

• Repair leaking taps.
• Replace faulty light fittings.
• Adjust sticking doors and/or loose door handles.
• Plaster over any small cracks or holes in the walls and re-touch paint.
• Bathrooms should be gleaming, repair broken tiles and ensure seals are in place.
• Consider getting your carpet professionally cleaned.

Space & Light

• Create the impression of space by removing unnecessary furniture or ornaments.
• Open all blinds and curtains, clean window and surrounding sills & even consider installing floor to ceiling sheer curtains or blinds to soften the space & add a natural soft light.
• Trim any low hanging branches that could be interfering with the natural light entering the home.
• Add a mirror to smaller rooms to create a feeling of space.
• Install 80-100watt light bulbs to brighten dark rooms.
• Consider hiring a storage unit to house extra objects or furniture.

Click Here to download the complete checklist to help prepare for the sale of your biggest asset.