Selling Tips

1. Disassociate Yourself with Your Home

Say to yourself: “This is not my home but rather a product to be sold.”

Make the mental decision to “let go” of your emotions and focus on the fact that soon this house will no longer be yours.

Picture yourself handing over the keys and say goodbye to every room.

Don’t look backwards — look toward the future.
 

2. De-personalise

Pack up those personal photographs and family heirlooms. Buyers can’t see past personal artifacts and you don’t want them to be distracted. You want buyers to imagine their own photographs and memories being created in the home and they can’t do that if yours are there. You don’t want to make any buyer ask: “I wonder what kind of people live in this home?” You want buyers to say: “I can see myself living here”.
 

3. De-clutter

People collect an amazing quantity of junk.  If you haven’t used an item in over a year then you probably don’t need it. Collect unwanted items and get rid of them. Make some extra cash for yourself by holding a garage sale or selling unwanted items on ebay or Gumtree. Donate the goods to charity or it they aren’t in good condition simply let go and throw them away. De-cluttering can be a very therapeutic exercise.

Continue de-cuttering for open homes by:

• Tidying your bookcase and any other areas in your house where knickknacks are kept;
• Clean off everything on kitchen counters;
• Put essential items used daily in a small box that can be stored in a cupboard when not in use.

Think of this process as a head-start on the packing, which you will eventually need to do anyway.

4. Rearrange Bedroom and Kitchen Cupboards

Buyers love to snoop and will open closet and cabinet doors. Think of the message it sends if items fall out. Now imagine what a buyer believes about you if she sees everything organized. It says you probably take good care of the rest of the home as well.

5. Less Furniture is More

Almost every home shows better and looks larger with less furniture.  Remove pieces of furniture blocking or hampering walkways and put them in storage or at a friend’s home.  Leave just enough furniture in each room to showcase the room’s purpose with plenty of room to move around. You don’t want buyers scratching their heads and saying: “This room looks cramped or too small.”

6. Make Minor Repairs

You don’t have to give your home a major renovation but it’s a good idea to undertake minor repairs to show the home has been looked after. Examples of minor repairs include:

• Replace cracked floor or counter tiles;
• Patch holes in walls;
• Fix leaky toilet;
• Fix doors that don’t close properly and drawers that jam;
• Consider painting your walls neutral colors, especially if you have grown accustomed to purple or pink walls;
• Replace blown light bulbs.

7. Make the House Sparkle

 You may not be a fan of housework but it’s really important to ensure your home is sparkly clean when on the market. Here’s our housework checklist:

• Wash windows inside and out;
• Rent a pressure washer and spray down footpaths and the driveway and the exterior;
• Clean out cobwebs;
• chrome faucets and mirrors;
• Clean out the refrigerator;
• Have carpets professionally cleaned then regularly vacuum and mop the floors;
• Dust furniture, ceiling fan blades and light fixtures;
• Replace worn rugs;
• Hang up fresh towels;
• Bathroom towels look great fastened with ribbon and bows;
• Clean and air out any musty smelling areas – odours are a definite no-no.

8. Street Appeal

Does your property have street appeal?  Our market research indicates that many prospective buyers simply won’t look at a property if it has limited street appeal.

• Keep the footpaths clear of debris.
• Mow the lawn and trim your bushes.
• Weed the garden
• De-clutter away any loose items in the Yard.

9. Scrutinize Your Home

Go around your home with a critical eye as if you were a buyer. Use these points as a guide:

• Go outside and open your front door then stand there.  Do you want to go inside? Does the house welcome you?
• Linger in the doorway of every single room and imagine how your house will look to a buyer;
• Examine carefully how furniture is arranged and move pieces around until it makes sense;
• Make sure curtains are neat and tidy;
• Tune in to the room’s statement and its emotional pull.  Does it have impact and pizzazz?

 
10. Open Home Day has Arrived

You’ve done all the hard work and now your home is about to be showcased for an open house.

• Ensure it is clean and tidy with all the steps followed above;
• Add a vase of fresh flowers to give a homely feel;
• Ensure there are no pet or smoke odours;
• Prepare your home to suit the temperature – if it’s cold turn on heaters or light fires and on a hot day make sure fans and cooling systems are on.

The team at Impact Property can offer further guidance on preparing your home for sale.