Preparing The House For Sale
Taking a fresh look when Preparing The House For Sale..
Once you have decided to put your property on the market, you must begin to think of it as a house or unit, not as your home. This means that where you might have learned to live with a little chipped paintwork, a few broken tiles, the unkempt garden and windows that haven’t been washed for months, prospective buyers will notice these flaws straight away. Even if they are minor faults, they can suggest to potential buyers that there could be major problems. Giving buyers a good impression could make a difference of adding thousands to your sale price. Therefore, try to approach your home from the point of view of someone seeing it for the first time.
Outside
Front gate: If you enter the garden through a gate, does it open and close easily? Replace the hinges and paint if needed.
Front yard: Is the lawn dried out or over grown? Are the flower beds still hanging on to dead debris from last season? Mow, weed, prune and trim where necessary. Plant some seedlings that will come into flower when viewings will begin.
Front door: Is there a special knack to opening the front door? If so, get it fixed – especially important if you live on a busy street. Give it a coat of paint if it is looking tired and replace any torn screen wire if necessary.
Windows: Clean the glass, frames and sills. Make sure they open and close easily. Cut back any overgrown branches or other obstructions that may be blocking out views or light.
Garage: Has your garage become a dumping ground for those things you didn’t want to throw out because they might come in handy later? Clean it out and take that junk to the tip or have a garage sale.
Back yard: Like the front yard, get it tidied up – don’t think people won’t notice if the wheel barrow and garden tools are lying about. If you have a pet, make sure there are no nasties around for anyone to accidentally step on.
Pool: If you have a pool, make sure it is beautifully clean. A dirty and neglected looking pool may send the message to viewers who have never owned a pool that they are too much hard work to maintain.
Inside Your House
Entry way: Is it cluttered with furniture or stuff to be put away? Clear it up and move (or remove) the furniture so you can enter the house without having to step around things.
Carpets: Could your carpets do with a clean? Even if it is looking a bit worn, a good steam clean could make it look a whole lot better.
Paintwork: Clean off any marks and touch up cracks. It has been said that a coat of fresh paint (Neutral colours are best) can be the best investment for home sellers but bear in mind that if you only paint one room it may make the rest of the house look shabby.
General tidiness: Is the house clean and tidy? Make sure children’s toys are put away and appliances occupy a place in the cupboards. Get rid of clutter, including excess furniture, books, knick knacks and paperwork – even if you quite like it that way. Clutter makes rooms appear smaller and can hinder people’s ability to visualise the way they would use the room.
Interior rooms: The kitchen and bathroom are the most important rooms in the house so pay extra special attention to these rooms. These can make or break your sale. Look over the other rooms with a critical eye and present them for what they are – i.e. the third bedroom should be presented as a bedroom as opposed to study come storage area.
Kitchen: The kitchen should be sparkling clean. Put all appliances out of sight, but beware of shoving them into an already full cupboard – viewers may well inspect these areas and be surprised when a falling toaster lands on their foot. Put away all drying dishes as well as the dish rack, sponge and cleaning products.
Bathroom(s): It may not be possible to replicate the bathroom in the Ajax advertisement, but try to get your bathroom looking as spotless as possible. Put out the good towels and put away the array of half empty bottles we all have. One nice soap or pretty bottle of hand cream is enough.
Smell: Finally, how does your house smell? A strange question perhaps but people who eat different food and have different habits than you or don’t own pets like you may, will quite likely pick up on a smell that you had never noticed. A bad smelling house can really put people off and lose you thousands in your asking price. If you even suspect your house may have an unusual odour, get on to it – even before you invite the agent around as it can also effect their appraisal.
Who wants to buy your house?
When preparing your house for sale, it helps to think about the type of people who are going to be interested in buying it. Singles, young couples, families with young or older children, empty nesters, retirees and investors will all have different needs and will be looking for different things. You want to show off those features that your prospective purchasers will be most interested in – usually it is the features that will make the sale, not the price. If you are selling the house your children grew up in but the area has become sought-after and is now demanding prices that only higher income earners could afford, it is unlikely that many young families would be among the prospective purchasers. Discuss these issues with your agent as they will know the types of people most likely to be interested in your property.
Finishing touches
You’ve done all the preparations, the house is looking beautiful and the time has come to open it up for viewings. A few finishing touches will help to make a lasting impression on your prospective buyers.
Make yourself scarce: Leave the inspection to your agent. Don’t be tempted to offer guided tours of the house in order to point out its best features. Most people will feel they are intruding if the family is at home.
Plenty of light: Open curtains and turn on lights in dim areas. A light and airy feel can make rooms feel more spacious and pleasant. If there are noises from outside such as traffic, keep windows on that side of the house closed.
Add some colour: A bowl of fresh fruit or a vase of flowers will brighten up key rooms.
Fresh Air: In summer and spring time open up windows to allow air circulation. In past years, it was recommended you bake biscuits or put on the coffee percolator to give your house a home-like feel however many people now see this at gimmicky.
Seasonal temperatures: Warm your house (use the fireplace if you have one to give your house a cosy feel) in winter and keep it cool in summer.
Pets: Although you may love animals, not everybody does – even if they are friendly and well trained. Take your pet with you when leave for the viewing or at least ensure they are restrained.
Homely touches: People are most influenced by the emotion they feel when they approach and enter a house. Consider some homely touches such as flower pots near the front door and a ‘Welcome’ doormat, well made beds with lots of pillows and even a cuddly toy, a child’s painting on the fridge door or anything that evokes feelings of comfort and genuineness.
Security: Lock away or take with you any valuables such as jewelry, money, important documents and other items of value accessible to thieves.
Will renovating get me a better price when preparing the house for sale?
With the increasing popularity of home improvement programmes it would seem that renovating and preparing you house for sale is definitely a sure way to get more for your money when you sell and of course, doesn’t it look so easy? Perhaps it is with a team of 20 people and sponsorship from a national hardware chain store but for the majority of us, undertaking renovation or changing the construction of your property are major investments that should be thought out carefully before deciding whether or not to go ahead.
Your tastes may be quite different from somebody else’s and many home improvements cost more than can be gained when the property is sold. Also, unless you have the skills to achieve professional results, you could possibly damage your sale as a poor DIY job may put buyers off, or cause them to lower their offers in light of the work that needs to be (re)done. If the cost of improvements are very high and you are only thinking of it in order to achieve a better sale price, perhaps you would be better off lowering your asking price. If, however, you are determined to realize the potential of your property, seek professional advice first concerning how the proposed renovations would add value to your home and always get more than one opinion. Ask several specialist companies for quotes on the work to be done and compare this (including any hidden costs) with the current value of your home.
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