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Preparing Your Home For Sale

Matthew Griffin • Jul 11, 2019
Imagine you are new in town and have been invited to a 'posh' drinks party where the great and good will be attending, all dressed up to the nines. It's your chance to gain introductions, to present yourself in the most positive light, and then build both business and personal contacts that might prove to be of ongoing value. But, you have been carrying out improvements to your new home, so you're running very late. There's no time for a shower, or to change; so you turn up dressed in dirty old tee and frayed jeans. You'll certainly make an impression, but not the right one. You'll be noticed, probably because of the generous space left by others around where you are standing!

What's all this to do with selling your home?

The above might seem a little extreme, but a colleague suggested to me recently that it's a fair comparison with anyone who wants to sell their home, but takes no time and makes little effort to make it attractive and appealing to strangers. I could see where she was coming from. Here at Sparrow Real Estate, my team and I are happy to spend time with our sellers, helping them to make their properties both as attractive to view, and then functional to live in, as new owners would want them to be. 

Three questions to ask when prospective buyers will be viewing your home

Later, I'll provide some further tips to help make your property attractive to potential buyers. But let's start with a trio of questions to ask about your home. Each highlights an area which might prove off-putting for those considering a purchase...

  1. What makes your home seem past its best?
    There are probably a range of, often small, home improvements that you have intended to make. It's easy to think that, as you are selling, you can just leave these for the new owners. However, they might recognise this, in their eyes at least, as neglect. Sub-consciously, if they can see these 'faults', a doubt can arise about what else isn't immediately apparent. They become less willing to buy. 

    So, create and deal with a checklist of minor repairs. Examples might include: kitchen cupboard doors slightly off their hinges, that loose handle on the toilet, skirting boards that are scuffed, distressed (but not deliberately) lampshades, chipped or scarred flooring. Your list will be unique; dealing with the items on it will make your Queensland home that bit more attractive to those viewing it. 

  2. What can you add as simple internal improvements?
    It might be a screen for a door, blinds for a window, a picture or mirror for a bare and lonely-looking wall. Look for those little touches that make your home seem lived in. Sellers are sometimes reluctant to invest in a property they intend immediately to sell. Yet investing quite a small sum of money can make your home much more saleable.

  3. How can you improve that first impression?
    Like the person at the party I mentioned at the start of this article, it's true that initial impressions count for a lot. It's the same with your property. It's surely true that living in it every day, it's easy to stop really looking at it with 'strangers' eyes'. You simply don't notice the outside areas of your property; you're too busy passing by just to get inside! 

    So, take the time to imagine a first-ever visit. Then you might notice the weeds on the driveway, the fence or decking in need of a repaint or pressure clean, the bushes that are overgrown, or borders in need of fresh mulch. If night viewings are likely, then it might pay to add some simple LED lighting to make visitors feel welcome. Again, a small investment can offer greatly improved chances for a sale. 

Tips to help make a positive visual impression

Before we move on to these, can I tactfully mention odours? Each home has them, those living there are used to them, visitors' noses less so! Pets do emit smells, as does discarded footwear, full trash bins, and the like. So, before potential buyers arrive, it's worth having a nose around and then eradicating such normal household odours.

Okay, on to that vital visual impression. A good spring clean is essential. This can refer to areas, obviously kitchen and bathroom, where hygiene is important. Carpets and kitchen or bathroom tiles would probably benefit from a steam cleaning, ceilings from a thorough cobweb removal. Make sure your windows are sparkling and open those you can before visitors arrive, although this obviously depends on how our Queensland climate is behaving! 

All that's a given, but another cleaning process is to remove the clutter of daily life. Yes, your goal is to make a home seem lived in, but not chaotically so. Apart from what is left lying around, from clothes to magazines, think also about all those family photos, mementoes of fondly-remembered trips, and the like. Your aim is to allow visitors to imagine their family living in this house. Some photos and trinkets are fine, but having too many means the clutter gets in the way of this by constantly reminding them that this is your home. It can also be useful to think about how the simple rearranging of furniture can make a room seem more spacious or comfy, whichever is the better outcome. Adding a few soft furnishings can also have a positive effect. 

Adding a little brightness

Obviously, a fresh coat of paint, in fairly neutral shades, can add a sheen of lightness, as can the addition of some flowers and plants. You might look at adding extra lighting to illuminate darker corners of the lounge, or key work areas in the kitchen. New bathroom taps can glisten, as can door handles, A thorough sanding of a wooden floor, or adding a new rug or carpet, can quickly add fresh life. Such improvements are especially important in the hallway - where that vital first impression is made as soon as the door is opened. 

A final - and slightly brave - step

Undertaking a plan of work, covering the above (and other points you notice unique to your home) better prepares your house to be sold. A final step is to organise your own 'stranger's eyes' inspection. This could be a friend or work colleague who you know has your best interests at heart, but will speak frankly. Ask them to view as potential buyer and then make any suggestions.

I'm Matthew Griffin from Sparrow Real Estate, and with my extensive background in selling Queensland properties, I often notice that inadvertently not paying attention to these items can get in the way of making a sale. I hope the tips offered here help you along the process.
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