Preparing your house for sale

ARTICLE Hayley-Anne Brown

When preparing your property for sale, remember to keep it simple and try to work with what you’ve got. It means the buyer doesn’t have to think about fixing and tidying things up, and then they’re less likely to try and negotiate a lower price.

Target market and budget

It’s absolutely crucial to ascertain these two factors right from the get go. You’ll then be able to make informed decisions as to where to invest your money in order to gain maximum profit.

Fix

Fix and replace anything broken such as taps, appliances, power points, light fixtures, holes in walls and cracked grout. Finish off any half-done DIY projects. If you’re not handyman savvy, get an inspection – it’ll set you back $400 to $500 but it’s well worth it.

Clean

Clean cupboards, drawers, the fridge and behind furniture. Wash windows, spot clean marks off walls, remove cobwebs and dust light shades. Eliminate musty smells by airing out your home. You get the picture – be thorough.

Declutter and personalise

Firstly have a garage sale. Be ruthless and get rid of anything you can’t envision taking with you. Remove family photos, pet bowls and holiday souvenirs so potential buyers can imagine themselves living there.

Keep it simple

The best renovation ideas are non-structural. Focus on high impact items like paint, flooring and staging. As a general rule, spend no more than 10% of your house’s current estimated value, however this does vary depending on the situation.

Paint

Use neutral colours and add colour through non-fixed items such as cushions and throws. Gloss is out and matte is in; you can now get matte finish paint that is durable enough for high-use areas.

Flooring

Where possible, revitalise existing flooring. Repair grout and replace cracked tiles. Sand back timber flooring and refinish. Polish or paint over concrete.
When replacing dated and/or damaged flooring, consider affordable options such as vinyl planks and carpet.

Insulation

In today’s market, buyers are much more energy-efficient conscious and consider a well-insulated home as high priority.
At the very least, ensure you have ceiling insulation and underfloor insulation.

Kitchens and bathrooms

Kitchens and bathrooms are expensive to renovate, so keep it simple and avoid moving plumbing around.
- Replace door handles, taps and shower faucets with modern fittings.
- If your drawer and cupboard face panels are wood, you can have them repainted.
- New kitchen benchtops make a huge impact. Engineered stone is a great option; it’s versatile, modern and affordable.
- Replace dated splashbacks with modern tiles or coloured glass.
- Dress your bathroom with a touch of luxury and get rid of those tatty, mismatching towels!

Furnishing and staging

Take a look at your existing furnishing – can you refurbish any to make them more modern? If you’re lacking in something, maybe a friend can lend you a piece of furniture?
Make sure no large furniture items are obscuring entryways or the line of vision into the space. Most importantly, dress your house with your target market in mind.

The exterior

First impressions count. You need buyers to fall in love with your property from the moment they see it.
- Replace or repaint your door, remove shoes, that old door mat, add some stylish pots and voila.
- Paint your fence, spray weeds, remove piles of dirt and cuttings, clear your gutters, water blast, repair walkways and sweep.
- Several months leading up to the open home, feed, trim and water your lawn.
- Trim unruly shrubs, mulch, and water, add large pots to give the garden structure and plant some potted colour.

You might be interested in reading: Converting a commercial property into a home.

This article featured on page 37 of Issue 015 of Renovate Magazine. Renovate Magazine is an easy to use resource providing fresh inspiration and motivation at every turn of the page.

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