Getting Your Home Market-Ready

When you are selling your home there are a number of things that you can do to help increase its value. The first impression your home makes on a prospective buyer is the most important in securing a good sale. As a homeowner this can make a difference of thousands of dollars when it comes to the final sale result. Here are some tips to raise the value of your home before goes to market:

Repair If you have anything in need of repair ensure this is attended to. If you have a leaking pipe or cracked roof you should contact a tradesperson. If it is a wall that needs to be plastered and painted the best option is to hire a professional painter and decorator. Prospective buyers like to feel as if everything is intact and ready for them to just move in. If they see anything that is broken you can be sure they will be wondering if there is anything else in need of repair and how much it will all end up costing. It will be their bargaining chip for a price reduction. Be sure to ward this off by ensuring that your house is well-maintained.

Make the most of your garden The garden is one of the first things that the prospective buyer will see and it can also be a real focal point of the house. Make sure that you keep your garden looking at its best. Regular mowing, raking, edging, weeding and watering will preserve a neat and clean garden. You can hire garden maintenance experts for a one-off garden tidy. If you have any plants you would like to introduce for colour or have plans to put in a patio area, you can hire garden experts to carry this out. By making your garden an attractive environment you can effectively increase the overall value of your home.

Think of the details  For the exterior of your home, all items like fences, front lights, patio furniture and garden lighting should be attractive to the eye. It is these that add the aesthetic value to your home. More importantly, the front path that leads to your house should be well paved and safe with no loose stones. These small details are very important in giving the impression of your homes character and style, whether that be simple, smart, casual or elegant.

Do you have a pool? If you do make sure that it is a feature of your garden. Ensure that it is clean and that the surrounds are in good condition. If there are any repairs you could do or are aware of, it would be advisable to do so. You can hire a pool cleaner to ensure it’s kept clean. While this might cost some money, a well maintained pool means that you can ask a higher price while selling your home.

Freshen up rooms It’s amazing how a fresh coat of paint can transform even the dullest of rooms. Freshly painted walls look clean, inviting and well maintained. It is best to use a neutral colour to help the prospective buyer to see what they might wish to do with the room. If you are re-decorating your walls, remember that pale coloured walls (eg. white or beige) give the illusion of space, helping smaller rooms to look bigger. This illusion works vice versa: if you paint your walls in a dark colour it will have the appearance that it is smaller. Use colours wisely to make the most of your rooms.

Be objective Although you might have decorated some of your rooms for your own particular needs,  now it is going on the market, you should look at the room using the eyes of a prospective buyer. For instance, while the second bedroom is a dark blue because it was your son’s room, this might not be attractive to your buyer. Painting the room in a neutral colour makes the most out of the room, and makes your house more attractive to a larger number of potential buyers. Look around your home to see if there are design choices in your home that you should change to make your house more desirable to the wider market.

Visit other homes Take a look at other people’s home to get ideas on what you can do to make the most of your home. Sometimes your neighbours can be a good source of information or inspiration.

How is your kitchen The kitchen is a very important room as it’s where meals are prepared and where the family comes together. Also, if there is any entertaining, it will be most likely linked to this room. Check that your kitchen is stylish and clean. If the style of your kitchen is out of date, think of ways to refresh the look. Talk to your estate agent about what the best option for you would be.

Keep bathroom clean A bathroom should be a relaxing and clean environment. Contact professionals if you have any tiles in need of repair or if you would like to redecorate your bathroom.

Clear away clutter While it is still your home try to keep the amount of personal items to a minimum. This allows the prospective buyer the opportunity to see their own belongings in the house. If you have too many items stored in your home you can make rooms look a lot smaller. Removing the excess items in a room gives the prospective buyer a fair impression of room size.

Maintain Exterior The exterior of your house is also a very important aspect. Make sure that you have a clean and polished look for the outside of your home. If the paintwork is tired you may want to look into re-painting the exterior.

While it can be quite expensive, the cost will make up for it in added value to your home. If you cannot afford to paint exterior walls you could paint the exterior trimmings (window-frames and door frames), This will also freshen the look of your home.