Tips For Selling
When you are selling a house, presentation is the key to success. A few simple steps could make all the difference when you open your home to prospective buyers. The effortless style of Premium Homes properties is far from it – you can be sure that plenty of work has gone into their stunning looks. Here, we show you 10 ways to help make your home look a million dollars.
1. Stash stuff
Clearing clutter is the number one rule of property presentation. Check out house-and-garden magazines for inspiration – and note that all those glossy homes are clutter-free. Use the sale of your home as an opportunity to banish unnecessary belongings from your life – and be ruthless. If time is limited or you can’t bear to part with your family of stuffed toys, pack them up and send them off for short-term storage. There are plenty of secure self-storage facilities listed in the Yellow Pages.
2. Fantastic florals
Buying flowers before every viewing will earn you bouquets from buyers. Choose carefully to capture the colour and atmosphere of your decor and don’t overdo it – a couple of stunning vases in strategic places are enough to make a striking impression. Make sure they are at their freshest and most fragrant and every home-open will be a blooming success.
3. Bathroom blitz
3. Bathroom blitz
The key here is to make your bathrooms, toilets and powder rooms look as if they have never been used. You might have lived there happily for 20 years but buyers don’t want to be reminded. Think five-star luxury combined with hospital-grade hygiene. Stow half-used toilet rolls and replace them with brand-new ones – you might even want to fold the ends, hotel style. Buy a packet of disinfectant wipes for quick once-overs between bathroom cleaning days. Have a set of fresh towels and unused pretty soaps on hand for open day and hide away those everyday items such as loofahs, shaving mugs, shampoo bottles, tissues and toothbrushes.
4. Pet hates
4. Pet hates
Your ‘fur-kids’ may be part of the family but discerning house-hunters will sniff out Nip or Fluff as soon as they walk through the door – especially if they are prone to hay-fever. You don’t want the first few seconds of a buyer’s critical first impression to be interrupted by a sneezing fit or a whiff of a litter tray. Send pets on a short holiday with friends or family while you market your home and make sure there is no trace of fur on soft furnishings.
5. Magic moment
It is well known that a buyer will make a decision about a house in the first few seconds of a viewing – usually by imagining themselves at home. Evoke an emotional connection by tempting the senses. Pop a tray of scones or a cake mix into the oven, brew a pot of coffee and play some soothing background music. Spray your favourite home perfume or burn essential oils, such as lavender, orange or peppermint. In summer, ensure the house is beautifully cool and in winter, use heating to set the inside temperature at a comfortable level. Remember your demographic and fake it if necessary – for example, if you are empty nesters targeting a young family, beg or borrow furniture and accessories to set up a cheery children’s room.
6. Perfect timing
Be creative when planning inspection times. If you have a magical view of evening lights, consider a twilight viewing. If you live under a flight path, choose a time when few planes are scheduled. If you live on the coast, plan a schedule around the sea breeze. Depending on the weather, it will be either a hindrance or a help. Create a mood depending on the time of day and ply your buyers – have a plate of biscuits on hand at morning tea time or go all out with champagne and a jazz CD during evening inspections.
7. Smoke and mirrors
Any sign of cigarettes is an instant turn-off. Plan ahead to guarantee clean air when your home hits the market. A month or so before, banish resident smokers to the outdoors only or better still, make them agree to quit. Then have your soft furnishings, carpets and curtains professionally cleaned. In the case of indoor smoking, look out for discolouration – for example, nicotine-stained ceilings and walls will need thorough cleaning or a coat of paint.
8. Garden glory
Don’t skimp on the garden – it is becoming more important to buyers as we embrace an outdoors-oriented lifestyle. Pep up a patchy lawn by scattering some lawn seed a few weeks ahead. Splash out on punnets of colourful annuals to fill garden gaps and provide instant appeal. Applying a thick layer of black mulch will make a big difference to tired garden beds. Maximise the WOW factor with a light spray of water just before viewing time for lush foliage and a fresh, summery fragrance. The days are gone when you could hide all your backyard clutter in the shed or around the side – box it up and send it away for storage.
9. Cupboard love
Make no mistake – nosey buyers will open your cupboards during inspections. Surprise them with tidy, uncluttered shelves and purposeful storage. Extend your de-cluttering spree to cupboards and wardrobes and show that your home has a place for everything, with everything in its place.
10. Small things
Even the most organised seller will be frantic before home-open time. In your haste to present the perfect palace, don’t forget the little things such as removing washing from the line, emptying bins, closing toilet lids or hiding damp tea towels. It is also wise to secure your valuables. Be mindful that even the best-laid plans are likely to go awry. Have contingency measures in place to cater for clutter-busting emergencies. Washing machines and laundry hampers make excellent hiding spots for last-minute clean-ups, as do cars.