A tidy home says “Welcome”. Your home should be kept neat and tidy during the period of inspections. It should not necessarily be a “show home” but appear a comfortable and inviting home in which to live.
Before your property is advertised, think about each room and what furniture really needs to be in it. Rooms look smaller when they are crowded. Clear out anything that’s not needed to create a feeling of spaciousness.
Make sure that all minor repairs are completed. Sticking doors and windows, loose door knobs, faulty plumbing, dripping taps and shower heads or peeling paint may affect your sale.
Let plenty of light into your home. Nothing improves atmosphere more than brightness. Open curtains, blinds or on a dull day switch on some lights prior to the inspection.
A warm comfortable heated home on cold days adds a feeling of cosiness, so turning on the reverse cycle air conditioner, combustion fireplace is a wonderful way of making a buyer feel welcome. Alternative on a hot day don’t forget to turn on any air conditioning or fans, even open a few windows to allow the breeze to flow through.
Before putting your home on the market we suggest you carry out a checklist of the things, which may need to be attended to.
Exterior
First impressions count and the front of your property is the first thing buyers will see. You want to entice people into your home.
- Maintained lawns, trimmed edges, weeded gardens, clean windows and gutters are a great start. You may wish to consider adding some colour to your garden with a few inexpensive flowers. You don’t want to over capitalise when cleaning up your property, but just a few cheap punnets of pansies or similar brightly coloured flowers can make the difference.
- Overgrown shrubs & trees can be a major deterrent to potential buyers, so trim any overgrown areas, especially around windows to allow natural light into your home. Remove any dead branches. Always keep the paths swept & clean. Wash down the front door & polish any brass fittings, repaint if necessary.
- Ensure any problem fencing is either straightened or repaired and remove all rubbish and junk from around your home, car parts under the house or around the exterior of the home is unsightly and detracts from the property. Always keep your garage door closed and again if looking tired, give a quick repaint if neccessary.
Interior
The less furniture and nik-nacs in a room, the more spacious and inviting the room will be. Prospective Purchasers are trying to imagine how their belongings and furniture will fit and look in each room. The aim is to make them emotionally attached to you property, so they will make an offer.
- Arrange for your carpets to be cleaned. Only paint any chipped or dirty walls, if needed. It is best to use neutral colours if you decide to repaint. Repair any damaged plaster, tiles, wallpaper, windowpanes, etc.
- Inspect and repair any plumbing (replacing any washers on dripping taps), heating and cooling systems.
- Repair any creaky or loose floorboards.
- Make sure all doors and windows open & close effortlessly. At the same time fix any locks and handles if they are loose, damaged or missing.
- Keep counters, bench tops, vanities, basins and any flat surfaces clean and clear of clutter. Make sure dishes are put away or clean and hidden in the dishwasher.
- It may also help to place fresh flowers around your home; this will give a fresh look and smell. Brew some coffee or bake a cake prior to open inspections to tantilise the sense. Soft music playing in the background. These are ways to create a sense of homeliness and comfortability.
- Ensure that all valuables e.g. jewellery, money, and other keepsakes are properly secured.
- You may even wish to store away any photographs from around the home, so the buyers attention is not detracted from what they are looking at, the house and not the beautiful family that currently lives there.