So you’ve decided to sell your home now that it’s spring and lots of eager buyers are flooding the market. Did you know it’s the little touches that appeal to potential buyers – the fresh flowers placed in the lounge, the smell of cinnamon or vanilla wafting through the air? The key to preparing your home for a successful spring sale is to imagine yourself in the buyer’s shoes. In this post, we share some strategies to get you started.
Appearances are everything
First impressions are the last impressions when it comes to presenting your home. Look at your entryway and the path leading up to the main door. Clean out your garden and path by trimming the shrubs and raking away dead leaves. Positioning a couple of plants near the door will also make it homely. Hiring a gardener or gardening service to give the backyard and frontage a little TLC and planting flowers makes your home look beautiful so you can ask for top dollar for your property.
Use paint
A fresh coat of paint can lift the appearance of a place both externally and internally. Aim to choose soft, neutral tones to make spaces look bigger. Nothing turns off an eager buyer than grimy, spotty walls and peeling exteriors. That purple wall you have in the living room? Paint a neutral shade over it as not everyone likes bold colours.
Use a property stylist
If you want many bids, hiring a property stylist is a great investment before listing your home on the market. A stylist can add lots of visual appeal by choosing the right furnishings and accessories – so your home appeals to as many buyers as possible. Some property stylists bring in their props and remove any books or knick knacks that won’t appeal to buyers. Simply, they ensure your home looks its very best at every open house.
Bring in the professionals
When your home is up for sale, it’s time to bring in the spring cleaning experts because you may not be able to keep up with the weekly cleaning especially if you’re also packing up your home and managing children too. Consider the amount of time you’ll spend cleaning the house (4-5 hours) versus hiring cleaners with their equipment and expertise who’ll take the time to ensure they leave your home as inviting as possible (2-3 hours). A clean and neat house improves your chances of getting bids – buyers usually tend to inspect every nook and cranny of the house. Leave the right impression the first time!
Declutter
While you’re packing up your home just before your home goes up on sale, declutter all the cupboards in your rooms and the kitchen. Throw away any damaged or broken items and donate unused items to charity or homeless shelters. The idea is to free up space and have less to unpack when you’re moving into your next home. If you’re feeling overwhelmed consult a decluttering expert or see these tips on how to declutter your home.
Do a home inspection
Before you decide to list your property on the market, make a checklist of repairs you need to get done or appliances you need to fix before buyers come through. Get a building and pest inspection done, fix gutters, leaking taps, change floors or re-carpet if needed. Think of these as necessary investments to boost the price of the house and appeal to a wide market. If you skimp on these and they do come up later with a prospective buyer, the chance of you losing the sale is high.
We hope you enjoyed these tips on readying your home for sale. Any other tips you’d like to add to our list?
