Navigating all things realestate when selling your home can be tricky. Like a lot of buyers looking to get top dollar for their home, where to start can be a pain point. Don’t worry: here are some top tips you can do to give your home broader appeal and give you a better chance of a great price on auction day.
- Reduce clutter
If you haven’t moved all your things out yet, take the time to minimise and consolidate your stuff. Set yourself a time limit and go from room to room with bags for trash, recycling, donating to charity, and the things you just can’t decide on. Avoid lingering over any one item, and be savage with items that you “might need one day”. Garages and closets, in particular, tend to be magnets for junk so giving them a merciless cleanup can make the house feel more spacious.
2. Repaint walls and cabinets.
Outdated, gaudy, or claustrophobic dark colour schemes can put off buyers more than nearly anything else. Taking a weekend to repaint such rooms with a light, neutral white shade will open up rooms and help buyers better imagine how they could use the space. Doors and cabinetry can also date, so a fresh coat of paint can help modernise your kitchen, bathroom or wardrobes.
3. Fix minor damage.
Every house suffers the inevitable bangs, knocks, chips, and scratches. Replace that door moulding the dog has destroyed, bog damaged window frames, and fill and sand wall damage before painting. They might be little things, but they can leave a big (negative) impression.
4. Clean up the outside.
First impressions are everything – so weed your gardens and walkways, cut back overhanging plants and trees, and level pavers. Pressure-spray outside patios, pavers, gutters and other dirty or moss/algae covered surfaces. Replacing the house number or repainting the front door in a bold colour also add to kerbside appeal.
5. Replace your hardware.
Outdated door handles, drawer pulls, and bathroom fittings can be visually jarring for potential buyers. Replacing handles, taps, spouts and mixers can bring your home up to date. Choose modern, consistently coloured and styled replacements that provide visual continuity.
6. Steam-clean your carpets.
If you haven’t replaced it, give existing carpet a deep clean. You can even do it yourself: hire a steam cleaner and do the entire house in an afternoon.
7. Lose the wallpaper.
It may have seemed schmick at the time, but wallpaper is a highly personal taste and it can be jarring for buyers. Remove old or unflattering wallpaper, then repainting in a light colour to increase appeal.
8. Move your chairs around.
Furniture placement creates and defines the spaces in your house. Think about how you use the house, move around it, and like to relax. Something as simple as a well-positioned pair of chairs and coffee table is a great way to emphasise the property’s lifestyle aspects, such as enjoying those great city views or watching the kids in the yard. Hiring a professional property stylist will make this task a breeze they will also have stock to add feature chairs to attract the eye to certain areas. Your realestate agent will have suppliers they work with regularly to assist.
9. Add some mirrors.
This time-honoured trick can accentuate soft lighting and creates a sense of space that makes rooms feel bigger, as well as providing visual appeal by highlighting key design elements.
9. That new-house smell.
Seasoned home designers swear by the power of smell to lure buyers, since it evokes memories and reinforces the idea of a house being a home. Yet the smell of freshly-baked bread isn’t necessarily the most effective: A realestate.com.au Study found that while smells like coffee and fresh-baked bread might be more appealing in the morning, the scents of citrus and brownies were actually correlated with the highest perceived property values.
While a lot of these tasks can be completed on your own, it is best to hire professionals and work with your realestate agent who know the process and can provide results. If you need help funding these pre-sale tasks contact us today