Selling Tips
The preparation you put into getting your property ready for sale can be the difference between getting a standard price and a great price.
The best part is, it's not hard, time consuming or expensive. Whatever your motive for selling, the process can either be stress free or tense and disappointing. The good news is that you have the ability to choose.
PREPARING THE PROPERTY
If you were buying a house, which house would you fall in love with? The one with the freshly painted fence, flowers on the table, sun streaming through crystal clear windows, or the one that looks like the owners have left in a hurry?
Which house would capture your imagination and have you throwing your hand in the air at auction?
Even the most savvy of time hardened house hunter can fall for a property that is beautifully presented on a sunny Saturday morning.
Major renovations might not be cost or time effective - in fact, if you are planning to sell your property as a renovator’s delight, you may choose to do nothing at all.
Speak to us about the logic of that tactic for that particular property.
But there is no doubt that, generally a spruce up can add thousands to the value. Our clever marketing can also help.
We suggest the following tips:
Create a good first impression
The place to start is at the front, with some flowers in the garden and, maybe painting your front fence and front door. Most people will drive past the house and make a judgment on what they see, so first appearances are very important. If people see a ramshackle house with rusted gutters, they will be thinking about the fixing up costs and might not even go inside.
In cleaning up the front of your house, don’t forget about the verge. While you might normally leave it to the council, make it your responsibility for the period your house is on the market.
De-clutter your living space
What you want to do is promote the space and accentuate the light. Everyone has always got extra stuff lying around, extra books, and that sort of thing. It’s about putting tings into storage or into attic space.
I recommend my clients also consider removing excess furniture during the marketing period. When you’ve got your house open, and you have got 10 people in the lounge room, it can get a bit squashy.
Be sure to take washing off the line, clear kitchen surfaces and don’t forget to hide the dog bowls and cat litter. People don’t think about these things when they are seeing them all the time.
Hire some groovy furniture
Some of my clients have used hired furniture to create a new look for their property. Five years ago, you just put a place on the market and took a few photos, but now people are really trying to add value. Some people now use a furniture hire company, where they hire furniture for the length of the campaign. People fall in love with the house and get carried away on auction day. Hiring furniture can cost anything from $100 a week for a few little things or more than $500 a week for a whole house in case of vacant premises.
Consider using a stylist
The money you spend by having a stylist will not only be recouped but will definitely give you a return. If you are in the hands of a professional, anything they do will add value. Even people with very stylish houses are prepared to ‘go to the next level’ in getting professional advice.
The way you live in a home day-to-day is not necessarily the best way to present. Most sellers have seen how a property that is beautifully presented can really bring a premium at auction. A good stylist will charge about $100 an hour for advice, plus the cost of carrying out recommendations.
Get the back yard under control
It’s better to get a professional gardener and tell them what you want. It doesn’t have to be something out of House & Garden, but it’s just got to be a yard you can use. Gardens often have too much in them and you need to get someone to go through and clean it right up. If shrubs are trimmed back, it gives the impression that the block is bigger than it really is.
Vendors should also take a good look at their trees, I would certainly suggest trimming trees, because you want to make the house as light as you can.
Get rid of nasty smells
You probably can’t smell your dogs, but you can be fairly sure that strangers can. The same goes for cooking smells and cigarette smoke, which can linger in houses that are not properly aired or need a spring clean.
You get a lot of people who, as soon as they walk in, smell the house and get turned off straight away. The house might be beautifully presented but that’s the first impression they get in their mind. As well as opening the windows and using room fragrances, I recommend owners send their pets on a holiday, perhaps to obliging parents.
Get professional cleaner in
Cleaning means inside and out. Quite often houses have a fair bit of grime on them. There are companies that will come in and steam clean the outside of the house, as well as any paths, to get it all looking nice and fresh.
People get to the stage where they have lived in a house for 10 years and feel they can’t be bothered, but they miss the point: that instead of selling it for $600,000, they will sell it for $650,000.
Patch and Paint
A quick job and even focusing on a few details can make all the difference. Worthwhile maintenance can include replacing spotted glass in bathroom vanities, replacing ripped fly screens and painting outside steps.
Upgrading door knobs on kitchen cupboards or installing skylights in dark rooms can also help. And don’t forget the little things, such as making sure all light fittings have working globes.
Use some elbow grease in the bathroom
Mouldy bathrooms are not an uncommon sight among houses on the market. While a complete revamp is rarely warranted, a bit of Sugar Soap or Exit Mould can go a long way. Give it a good scrub, give it a bit of sparkle. If there are signs of mould or mildew, regrout the tiles. Bleach the shower curtain or change it; put a bit of colour in there if it is a dark bathroom. If there is a shower screen and it’s cracked, it’s probably better if it is replaced.
Go Internet
Along with your advertising campaign, you must have Internet marketing. It’s a wonderful way of exposing your property and giving buyers 24 hour access to viewing it. It really increases the chances of somebody actually looking at your property. Web based marketing is particularly important for premium properties and essential to attracting overseas buyers.
We hope these tips are helpful for you. It’s just another way we strive to offer you a 6 Star service from the outset.
The Team
Beattie Moore Property
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