Sue Opie - Property Consultant for Luke Goggin Real Estate |
A good first impression IS what sells a property.
Leave your emotions and personal connection to the property behind, and look at your property as if you were a buyer.
Take a walk through the
front door as if it was your first time. Do you like what you see? Would YOU buy YOUR home? How
is the street appeal? Eliminate potential buyers forming a negative opinion
before they have got through the front door.
TIP 2: Take Care of Outside
Make sure
the garden is tidy and well maintained, generally buyers are looking for a
garden which is functional, pleasant and relevantly easy to maintain.
TIP 3: Use the Spring Sunlight
One of the
advantages of selling in Spring is all of the natural sunlight. When preparing for a prospective buyer, open all of the blinds and curtains, turn on all of your lights and if there are any dark corners, consider putting a
lamp in the space. Are any of your walls dark? Do they need repainting? Is it worth
putting a skylight in?
TIP 4: Declutter Declutter Declutter
This can be addressed within the the first stage of moving. Pack up items which you wont need. Less is more,
making the rooms look larger and the focus becomes the physical house rather than the possessions within
it.
TIP 5: Small Replacements
If your home is in
need of a makeover but you don’t have the funds or time, look at replacing
simple things like cupboard handles and tap-ware; even bench tops as this can give your property the lift it needs without spending a massive amount of money.
TIP 6: Clean Clean Clean
.... and then clean some more! It is important that your house is presented as shiny
as it could be. I often suggest just
before the first open day, to have a professional cleaner come in and take it
to the next level. Kitchens, bathrooms
and windows should be spotless and shiny.
TIP 7: Presentation and Staging
The presentation of the entire property is of
the utmost importance, consider professionally staging your home correctly too, as this could help you achieve an
even better price. Remove pieces of
furniture if they are cluttering. Remember, we need to make the rooms look as large as
possible, whilst still being functional.
TIP 8: Look For Inspiration
Search online for inspiration on how to present your rooms. Google, Pinterest, Houzz and others all have images of display homes
interiors to provide plenty of ideas and photos which
can be helpful. If you find it all too
hard, hire a property staging professional or stylist; you will get back what you pay and more in the sale of your
home. We are more than happy to suggest
some stylists who we use.
TIP 9: Eliminate Unpleasant Smells
Bad smells will immediately turn a prospective buyer off. A pleasant fresh smelling home combined with a great first impression
places your home in the best position it can be. A trick commonly used is 2 caps of vanilla essence in a heatproof
container in the oven at 150 degrees Celsius for 20 minutes. This will get rid
of any funky smells you may have and leave a nice fresh vanilla smell
throughout the house. Don't try too many different fragrances at the same time as they can be off-putting to
some potential buyers.
Whilst dogs and cats are an important part of many families, buyers may be allergic and not as enthusiastic as you. Minimize their impact as much by removing all pet hair and smells. When the
house is open for inspection, take your animals with you.
TIP 10: The Final Touches
To finish off the pleasant
ambiance you are creating play subtle soft music, have the
fire lit, and the temperature climate
controlled. Set the table both inside
and out, and place fresh flowers throughout (don’t forget to change the water every
couple of days). All of these simple things add to the buyers experience being
a pleasant experience.
Part of your sale preparation should be who you choose as your agent. Look for one who will place your property in the best light, uses professional photographs and has identified the correct strategic
marketing required.
Your agent needs to not only understand the local real
estate market but also needs to be a leader in marketing your property.
I am a proven leader in this field and look
forward to being able to give you more of the above tips whilst strategically
placing your property above the others
currently on the market.
For a free no obligation appraisal of your home and many more tips to share please phone me on 0415
990 981.
Good luck! - Sue.
Good luck! - Sue.
Written by Sue Opie Property Consultant for Luke Goggin Real Estate