How to Prepare Your Home For Sale

Every seller wants their home to sell fast and at top dollar. Unfortunately, it’s not just down to luck; it’s careful planning and knowing how to spruce up your home that will send potential buyers scurrying for their cheque books. Here are some ideas on how to prep your house and turn it into an irresistible and marketable home.

1. Disassociate yourself with your home

Give your agent the opportunity to do their job, and potential buyers the space they need to be drawn to the property. Sellers that linger during an open inspection, or start telling stories about their property, will turn most buyers off.

2. De-personalise
Pack away personal photos and family heirlooms. Buyers want to be able to imagine their own life in your home.

3. De-clutter
De-clutter systematically, starting with areas that will be of most interest to buyers when they inspect your home, followed by the areas they’ll do most of their living in. 

4. Clean out and organise storage spaces
Buyers love to see what kind of storage space they will have. Imagine if they open a closet and everything falls out! If they open an organised closet, they will assume you take good care of the rest of the house.

5. Rent a storage unit

Almost every home looks better with less furniture. Consider storing items that block walkways or aren’t necessary to keep in the house while you’re trying to sell.

6. Remove or replace favourite items

If the chandelier in the dining room is a family heirloom, take it down. If buyers never see it, they won’t want it to be included with the house.

7. Make minor repairs

Fix things such as cracked tiles, leaky faucets, burnt out light bulbs and doors that won’t close properly.

8. Make the house sparkle

Buyers will not be impressed if they see lots of dust or dirt. Make sure you make your home sparkle, or hire a professional cleaner if you need some help.

9. Check your curb appeal

If a buyer doesn’t like the exterior of your home, you’ll never get them to look inside. Mow the lawn, trim back plants, clean up, and plant flowers to enhance your home’s curb appeal. 

It always helps to put yourself in the shoes of the buyer, and by making a few little improvements to your home, you are giving it the best chance to sell.