12 Tips to sell your home

Get your FREE 'Property Presentation TIPS & ACTION PLAN'

Presenting your home to sell can make the difference between selling and not selling. If it’s done right it can mean an increase in sale price of thousands and even ten’s of thousands of dollars. Here are some tips to help you to decide what steps you need to take to get your property sold quickly and for the best price.

1. Getting the price right- This one decision can make or break your chances of a sale
2. Street Appeal - First impressions influence every perception the buyer has of your property from here on in
3. Entry Magic – Continue to build positive perception and get those buyers through the door
4. Start packing – It makes everything else easier
5. Remove personal items – Reduce distractions and allow the buyer to imagine your property as their own
6. Invest in off-site storage - Get rid of as much clutter as possible, make the minimal investment to rent an off-site storage unit
7. Clean – It’s the cheapest most effective way to give your property a face lift
8. Repair or replace – don’t let simple maintenance issues stand in your way of selling
10. A coat of paint - Will take years off your property, just be sure to keep it neutral
11. Odours send buyers running – If you are a smoker, have pets or cook fatty/spicy food chances are you need to deodorize
12. A little time & money spent wisely - could make the difference between selling or not selling. Even a small investment can make a huge difference in presenting your property to sell.

Getting the price right - don’t make this mistake…

This is the sale of possibly your greatest asset - make informed decisions. Don’t make the mistake so many people make and go with the highest appraisal you’re given. The most common reason for a property not selling is that it’s overpriced and by the time the buyer realises - the horse has already bolted.

The original interest created by your hard earned marketing dollars is long gone. The stigma associated with properties that have been on the market for a while is that there’s something wrong leaving you and your property to the only lookers left, the bargain hunters.

Do your own research so that you know what’s selling in your area, for how much and how your property compares. Go online to sites such as www.realestate.com.au to find out what similar properties have sold for in your area. Attend open home inspections and speak to the local real estate agents. If your property is a little unique consider getting it professionally valued, it will be a couple of hundred dollars well spent.

First impressions start at the letter box…

Will your property’s street appeal get buyers through the front door?
Ensure your letterbox and fences are well maintained and are making the right statement about your property. This is where price perception and positive or negative influences begin. Weed and trim the garden; mow the lawn: pressure clean paths and the outside of the house. Don’t leave ‘stuff’ lying around, store it neatly out of sight or put into storage.

Create an inviting entry

Those first impressions are still significant here, it’s important that your buyers are keen to see more. Ensure there is a clear and inviting path to your front door. Remove unnecessary clutter, clean, remove spider webs, dust, algae and mould from paths, floors surfeits and doors. Repair screens, ensure everything is well maintained and sparkling like new. Replace worn or dated lighting, numbers and door fittings.

Careful choices of plants and accessories here are imperative to ensure they compliment the space without taking over or blocking the entry.

Start packing…

It naturally de-clutters and creates space, makes cleaning and moving easier.

Remove personal items

While you’re packing remove personal items like photographs, religious artefacts and memorabilia. Whilst this may feel less like home and possibly even a little cold to you, it prevents the buyer from being distracted by your belongings, allowing them to imagine how their belongings will fit. This is a very important part of buying psychology.

Do consider off-site storage

Don’t just move clutter from one part of your property to another.

Clean from front to back, top to bottom & back again

It’s the most cost effective way of giving your property a face lift. (Get a copy of our FREE checklist, it helps to keep you on track - being able to check things off as you go is not quite so daunting and certainly more rewarding.)

Repair or re-place

A well maintained property is a reassuring sign to buyers, that a property has been well looked after. Unless they’re bargain hunters, buyers don’t want to be faced with a stack of repairs after they move in.

Paint

Applying a coat of fresh paint can take years off your property; you’ll be amazed at the difference. Try cleaning walls first, sometimes a room will come up like new just with a good clean. If you have a favourite feature wall, sorry… use a neutral shade to paint over it.
Buyers need to be able to see there belongings fitting into the space and they can’t do that if their orange lounge clashes with your favourite pink wall. Not everyone has the imagination to see past that, so don’t limit your interested buyers to the one’s who like pink. Keep it neutral, you can always add colour with accessories and if you’re unsure less is always better.

De-odorize

Especially if you have pets, there is a smoker in the house or you do a lot of spicy/fatty cooking. Ask a good friend or someone you trust to do the smell test as soon as they walk in the door. Smells even from fragrant candles or de-odorizes can be very off putting to buyers and enough to have them wanting to get away from the property as soon as possible. We often become immune to odours around the home and are completely unaware of some odours that many people will find offensive the moment they walk in the door.

Be sure to remove pets from the property if possible during inspections and be sure to air thoroughly prior to showing. Use only subtle fragrances, sparingly as these can be overpowering on there own.

Spend some money to make some money

If you’ve done your research you should have a clear indication as to the standard of home you are competing with and what price bracket your property is in. It should also have given you an indication of the areas you may need to work or spend money on to get your property sale ready. People are often unwilling to spend anything to present their home for sale and yet in the blink of an eye, will drop the sale price by thousands and even tens of thousands just to get the property sold.

There are many simple and inexpensive solutions to presenting your property to sell; people are often amazed at what can be achieved. Sometimes it’s just a simple matter of getting good advise, setting a budget and prioritising to get the job done.

Remember to get your FREE TIPS & ACTION PLAN to help keep you on track and ensure you’re not leaving anything to chance.

Go to Articles for more information & tips to selling your home.

TOP OF PAGE