Selling Secret #10: Price according to the market
An excellent strategy for selling in today’s market sounds tough, but pays dividends. Find out the value of your home, and then list it for 15% to 20% less than that. You’ll have buyers coming out of the woodwork, and they will outbid each other until they reach a price that’s over what your original valuation was. It’s a scary thought, but it pays off for the sellers brave enough to try it!
Selling Secret #9: Half-empty cupboards and robes
Everyone loves storage, but possibly no one loves it more than a prospective home buyer. They will want to see all the available storage options and will likely have a peek through you cupboards. To create the impression of more space, take half the items out of each cupboard and robe, store them away somewhere else and rearrange the cupboard neatly with what’s left.
Selling Secret #8: Light and bright
Nothing sells like a well-priced, spacious home right? Well, except a house that is also light and bright inside! Cut back any shrubbery or trees that limit light coming into the house, pull back curtains and roll up blinds (or remove altogether if necessary), clean the windows, replace dull light bulbs and refresh your light shades to add as much light as possible to your home.
Selling Secret #7: Find the right agent
The right agent is the key to showing off all these little changes in your home to the right people. Your agent should know the local market, have their finger on the pulse of cutting-edge marketing and technology and be able to offer you information and advice around both the pricing and presentation of your sale property. The right agent will keep you in the loop throughout every step of the sales process and be on hand to answer your questions.
Selling Secret #6: Hide the pets
Pets, while wonderful, mean hair, fur, dirt, food and litter trays are a fixture in our homes. When selling, it’s very important to make the effort to have all pet accessories out of sight during a showing. Equally important is making sure floors, walls and furniture is all clean and free of hair and fur. Our beloved fur babies can give the impression of a dirty home and put potential buyers off. If at all possible, during inspections and open homes, take your pets to the park or for a walk.
Selling Secret #5: Don’t over-capitalise
Preparing your home for sale doesn’t mean spending a huge amount of money. You can focus on less expensive things, such as upgrading handles on cupboards and doors, fresh paint, fixing leaky taps, making sure cupboard doors are hanging squarely and adding some inexpensive but on-trend curtains or soft furnishings to your décor. One of the most important (and free!) things you can do is give you home a thorough clean from top to bottom.
Selling Secret #4: De-clutter
Decluttering and removing personal items from your house can feel like you’re making it less of a home, but what you’re really doing is allowing potential buyers to see themselves living there with their belongings. A good rule of thumb is to put a third of your belongings into storage; things such as family photos, ornaments, memorabilia – anything that creates a bit of clutter can go.
Selling Secret #3: The kitchen comes first
The term “the kitchen is the heart of the home” has held true for generations and the kitchen continues to be the most important room in a house when selling. Putting a new kitchen in is a sure-fire way to generate buyer interest in your property, however it’s not always within budget to do so. Some quicker and much cheaper options include painting the kitchen cupboard doors and benchtops and replacing the handles with new, more modern styles. Use neutral colours to brighten the space and make it feel larger. Neutral palettes also allow prospective buyers to imagine adding their own touches to the kitchen.
Selling Secret #2: Be “inspection-ready” at all times
Once you have decluttered, packed away some of your possessions, completed a big spring clean and made your home as light and bright as possible, it is easier to maintain it to “inspection-ready” condition – and this is what you’ll need to do. Keep surfaces clean and empty, make sure dishes are put away and bathrooms are kept fresh and spotless. A quick daily vacuum will keep dust and dirt at bay. You never know when the right buyer is going to walk through the door!
Selling Secret #1: The all-important first impression
Curb appeal is the number one secret to selling your property. If the home isn’t appealing from the outside, buyers won’t see past that to what you have done inside. Mow grass, clean driveways, plant gardens or strategically place potted plants around the front of your home to make the most of what’s on offer. Touch up paint, fix gutters and clean the front of the house to offer a fresh, vibrant experience for buyers. The first impression is what counts, and no one sees the inside of a home first.
