Savvy sellers will tackle the herculean task of selling one small task at a time. From choosing the right agent to organising removalists, there’s plenty to do when you’re planning a move. Start your sales campaign off on the right foot and put together a checklist to ensure your property is in great shape to achieve a top dollar sale.
Create a Great Garden
The garden will often be the first thing a potential buyer will see when they arrive to inspect your property. Keep things simple by cutting back overgrown plants, keeping the lawn trimmed and giving all the garden beds a thorough weeding. If you’re something of a green thumb consider planting some colourful potted flowers around your home’s entrance, which will really smarten up the façade on a very tight budget.
If you’re lucky enough to have extra outdoor storage in the form of a shed or greenhouse, ensure these areas have been tidied and swept out. Potential buyers have a unique way of exploring every nook and cranny, so avoid cutting corners when you’re cleaning out your yard clutter.
Repair Wear and Tear
If you’ve lived in your property for some time, it’s probably inevitable that you’ve let a few repair
jobs slip. It’s easy to get used to the squeaky front gate or leaking kitchen tap, but buyers will spot these imperfections instantly. Carry out these small repairs or risk sending the message to buyers that your property is getting a little tired, which may eventually affect your sale price.
Consider Professional Cleaners
Selling your home is a marathon, not a sprint. It pays to share the load and professional cleaners have been known to rescue many a frazzled seller from the tyranny of endless scrubbing and
dusting. Cutting corners when cleaning is a turn-off to potential buyers whose ability to spot and remember streaky floorboards and bathroom mould is generally nothing short of remarkable.
Clean Your Windows
This is a task you can easily outsource to others quite cheaply if the thought of tackling it yourself
is a little overwhelming. Squeaky-clean windows will ensure your property receives maximum natural light and will also smarten up its appearance from both the inside and out.
De-Clutter and De-Clutter Again
This is probably one of the most important items on the checklist. Moving is always a great opportunity to offload excess clutter, so get started early and arrange a big spring clean. Clear
kitchen benches and tables of counter clutter and tidy up any attic space, hall cupboards or linen closets.
De-cluttering your home can rapidly become a life-sized and more stressful version of Tetris, so consider offloading items to charity, or hiring a storage shed for the duration of your property’s
sale.
Become a Details Person
When you are presenting your property for sale there is no detail too small or insignificant. Create the right ambience with consistent room temperature and mood appropriate lighting. Homes have been sold on the basis of small thoughtful touches; be it freshly cut flowers, polished silverware
or the aroma of lightly scented candles, all of these little add-ons bring a home to life for a buyer.
Pack Off Your Pets
As adorable as your furry or scaly little friend might be, not everyone is a cat, dog, snake or hamster person. Some people equate pets with unpleasant odours, allergies or property damage. Play it safe by finding a suitable pet sitter for all your home’s open for inspections all throughout the selling campaign.
Stay Calm And Lead The Way
Consider signage in nearby streets directing sellers to your property for inspections or on auction day. No one enjoys missing a house viewing because they’ve spent forty minutes circling your block and marvelling at the lack of signage or coherent street numbers.
Finally, take a deep breath and accept that selling is a big job. It’s potentially very rewarding but it can be very time consuming. By remaining calm and taking a methodical approach to the tasks at hand, you’ll be one step closer to posing in front a triumphant ‘Sold!’ sign, and closer to achieving your property dreams.