Before you start promoting your home for sale there are some essential steps to take to make your property as appealing as possible. Get these right and home buyers could be so enamoured by your home that the price could skyrocket.
Whether your home is located in Elanora Heights, Ingleside, North Narrabeen, Narrabeen, or Warriewood, here are the main areas of focus before starting your property marketing campaign.
1. Declutter
Home buyers need to be able to visualise themselves living in your home, which is difficult if you have a lot of belongings and excess furniture. So, one of the first things to tackle is reducing the number of ‘things’ on display, tidying up and getting organised.
- Focus on your cupboards: Prospective buyers will open cupboards. Do whatever you can to make them appear spacious. Use baskets and perspex boxes to organise everything left in the cupboards. It’s even a clever idea to clean your fridge and remove excess containers; it will make your home seem even more desirable.
- Use storage: Any extra clutter that can’t be disposed of can go into storage. Your garage, in particular, can be a hotspot for all those bits and pieces that don’t have anywhere else to go. Organise some offsite storage before you sell so your garage can look spacious. It can also be wise to store unique furniture or family heirlooms offsite to keep them safe when buyers are going through your home.
- Give it away: Do an inventory of your things and eliminate anything you can live without. Give it away to charity or advertise it for free on Gumtree. You won’t regret being rid of all your excess junk when it comes time to move.
- Sell online: For items that you can live without but are still too valuable to give away, sell them online. Facebook Marketplace, Gumtree, and eBay are all easy ways to sell anything and everything you can think of. But be as specific as you can in your listings so that you don’t end up dealing with time-wasters.
If this job is too overwhelming, call in the professionals. There are plenty of local decluttering companies who specialise in home sale preparation.
2. Call in an agent (early) to get their opinion
Real estate agents see so many homes every week and can look at your place with a discerning eye. They know what buyers are looking for, so ask your agent;
- Which improvements to prioritise: Your agent can recommend the home improvements that are most impressive and offer the best value for money.
- Tradies and landscapers: Agents have contacts with all the best local tradies and landscapers.
- Additions: Talk to your agent about possible additions that will add value and increase buyer appeal.
3. Home improvements
There are probably a few areas of your home that need improving, but you don’t want to overcapitalise:
- Renovate right: Renovating can add value to your property but overdoing it may cost you more than it’s worth. Talk to your agent about the right amount of upgrades. Remember, you’re leaving, so don’t waste time and money on unnecessary changes. Save the money for your new house.
- Stay timeless and neutral: Any renovations you make should be timeless and in neutral colours. Make the property a blank slate, making it easier for buyers to picture themselves living there.
4. De-personalise
You have spent many years making your home your own. Now it’s time to get it ready for someone else. This can be an emotional process, but it’s worth it if you want a fast sale and a great price.
- Remove your personality: Pack away family photos and overtly personalised knick-knacks before the first open home. This way, when prospective home buyers walk in, they can imagine themselves living in the home and not see it as belonging to someone else.
5. Home styling
Bringing in a professional to style or stage your home helps to paint it in its best light. A professional stylist will also know how to make your home appeal to the broadest demographics possible. Once styled, your home will look like it has come straight from a magazine, and the opportunity for a swift sale and high price will be worth the investment.
Some tips for home styling include:
- Stay neutral: You’ve heard it already, but it truly is the wisest advice. Don’t take it as an insult to your taste in furniture and styling. Remember, this won’t be your home anymore. Staying neutral will appeal to the broadest number of people.
- Help buyers feel they can move right in: Most buyers aren’t looking for a fixer-upper. They want a home they feel they can move into without needing to do a lot of work. Make sure your home looks ready to live in.
Wherever you live in Sydney’s Northern Beaches, Elanora Heights, Ingleside, North Narrabeen, Narrabeen, or Warriewood, when you are ready to start preparing your home to sell, give our team at Hunter Estate Agents a call. We will visit your home and give you personalised advice.