when selling your home
Making the right changes to refresh your property and make it “pop” in the eyes of your buyers is often the difference between a quick, top dollar sale and a slow and unprofitable one.
Homes don’t always need a total overhaul to look great, it’s just knowing the right “tweaks” that will make the world of difference. Carefully assess which parts of your property would benefit most from an upgrade – before you start on anything. Ask real estate agents or research what the qualities are of the properties that sell quickest and for the most money in your suburb.
The importance of having a clean, well-presented property when you are looking to sell cannot be overstated. The first part buyers will see is the exterior, then the living and kitchen spaces. These are the areas that provide the first impression and biggest impact.
Here are some tips focus your effort where it counts:
— The big property clean You want your property to sparkle.
Remove or store your clutter and any highly personal items. Ensure you have the best possible street appeal
– sweep paths, ensure the garden is weeded, trees and shrubs are trimmed, ensure your gate is working, your street number is visible.
— Exterior front
You often don’t need to paint the entire house exterior. You can transform houses by changing only the trim colours (windows, window sills, guttering, fascias) and a bit of clever landscaping.
— Kitchen and Bathrooms
If the kitchen and bathrooms seem nice enough, leave as is. With cabinets that are in good structural shape, a better option that will return more value is to paint your cabinets or even reface them. New cabinet fixtures, like handles and hardware are surprisingly effective as kitchen and bathroom upgrades.
— Interior living spaces
New paint, especially well-chosen contemporary hues, will transform a house. Be careful of deep shades that darken the home. Cheerful, brighter colours reflect more ambient light, and this is especially important in small rooms like bathrooms and space-challenged bedrooms.
— Make repairs
Fix any obvious detrimental defects
— Exterior living spaces
Clean decking boards, repair and declutter around pool and garden areas.
— Spare bedrooms and the rest of the house
They need some love, but you can get away with a good clean and declutter, or perhaps re-paint.
Most importantly, think about who your target buyers are. Try to define who these people are and what they want in a house. It could be a secure backyard for young children to play. It might be lots of storage or space for bikes and outside toys for families with teenagers. Does your house tick most of your target markets’ boxes? How many more boxes can you help them tick with some simple changes?
Cosmetic improvements are important, but the practicality of how people live is more important to buyers – they need to see that their life and lifestyle will fit within the home.
Remember, you are not renovating your home so you can enjoy the end result, you are doing it to attract more buyers and add value. Don’t renovate with your heart or personal taste in mind.