When preparing to sell your home it’s important to present your property at its best to maximise the sale price. You may only get one chance to make a good first impression on a potential buyer. Often the first thing they see is your home’s exterior. Grab their attention and present your home looking its best.
“The way that you live in your home and the way that you sell your home are two different things”.
Barb Schwarz – Creator of the home staging concept
Ready to sell your home?
If you have made the decision to sell your home it’s a good idea to have your home looking its best before you go ahead and list it. To start with, check for any maintenance jobs you can do and clean and tidy the front yard and gardens. Do some simple repairs to any parts of your home showing wear and tear or obvious signs of damage.
Patch any holes in walls or doors. Have the carpets cleaned if they have stains or need freshening up? Could the walls do with a fresh coat of paint? Go through the home and give everything a good clean. Don’t forget to clean and tidy inside cupboards as well.
Reduce clutter.
Before you put your home on the market consider having a good clean out first. This will not only make your home feel more open and spacious, but you will have less stuff to pack and move when you sell your home. Make each room purposeful and remove excess items. If you have access to a shed or family member’s spare room, consider packing up some belongings and moving them out of the house.
Remove personal possessions.
When selling your home, you need the buyer to be able to visualise themselves living in the home. This is hard to do when a home is full of clutter or decorated in a very personal way. The homeowner’s personal possessions can be polarising to a potential buyer. When styling your home for sale, try to remove items such as family photos, collections, wall hangings and excess furniture.
Style each room as it is meant to be used. If you are currently using the fourth bedroom as a junk room, it’s a good idea to clear it out and style it as a bedroom or office. If you have oversized furniture in the rooms, it could make the spaces seem smaller than they are. Move furniture around, store excess pieces or consider hiring furniture for the sale campaign. If you have a lot of bold colours on the walls it may be worth investing in a fresh coat of paint in a neutral colour.
First impressions count.
Sometimes buyers can eliminate your property from their search for a new home before even setting foot in the door. A house that is badly photographed could destroy your marketing campaign. Your real estate agent may be great at selling homes, but that doesn’t mean they have an eye for photographic composition.
Consider acquiring the services of a professional photographer to capture your home in its best light. Take advantage of your homes best features, whether it be magical views at sunset, a garden that lights up like a wonderland at night, or an entertainers dream backyard styled for an afternoon get-together.
Utilise home staging.
When it comes time to sell your property, home staging is used to maximise your home’s best attributes while minimising its flaws, therefore, presenting your home in its best light to potential buyers. Typically homes that are staged sell in less time and for more money, so it’s worth taking the time to do. Staging can be done by bringing in furnishings and home decor provided by home staging companies.
You can also stage your home using your own furniture and decor. You can hire a professional or stage the home yourself. When staging, don’t clutter the areas, keep it simple, warm, and inviting. When you decide to sell your home, a quick sale and a good price can be more easily achieved through utilising home staging. Home staging works and is an effective marketing concept that shouldn’t be overlooked.
If you are ready to sell your home and not sure how to start decluttering and cleaning you may find these posts useful to read. Decluttering top tips to get you started and Tasks to have your garden looking great.
Top 5 tips when preparing to sell your home.
- Do a deep clean inside and outside.
- Do maintenance and simple reapirs.
- Declutter and pack away excess possessions.
- Utilise home staging.
- Ensure you have good quality photographs for your sale campaign.
