21 April, 2021

1. Look at your house from the street

Take a step outside and look at your house from a buyer’s perspective. Does it look like a property you’d be proud to say you just bought? It’s important the outside of your home sets the tone for the rest of the property and gets people excited to see more.

Simple ways to make your home more inviting from the outside:

  • Fix any breaks or cracks in the front fence and touch up with paint if needed
  • Ensure the entranceway is neat and tidy – replace any broken decking, touch up with paint, add a healthy-looking plant and if your doormat is looking a little shabby grab a new one to complete the look
  • Keep up with general gardening – trim any unruly plants and hedges, keep the lawn and edges neat and keep the weeds at bay
  • Check your letter box – does it need replacing? At the very least ensure you don’t have junk mail hanging out the front of it or sitting in a pile at its base.

2. Clear out cupboards

Grab some removal boxes and prepare to be ruthless. Remove all items you don’t absolutely need to have on hand and pack away until you move. By removing unnecessary items in your cupboards, you’ll be giving the impression there’s more storage space in your home – something buyers find attractive. You might even find some things to get rid of before the move!

How to approach your cupboard overhaul:

  • Work through each storage space room by room
  • Wipe over storage surfaces and vacuum any flooring that’s hidden
  • Try to give cupboards a purpose – you might like to consider grouping items such as linen, toys and sporting equipment.

3. Get rid of your junk room

You know the room, the one that was supposed to be a study or a guest room but it’s ended up looking more like a storage crate? Well, it’s time to say good bye to the clutter and make the room look useful to buyers. Grab some boxes and sort through your things – keep, sell/ donate and throwaway. Be ruthless and you may uncover a hidden treasure which speaks to potential buyers.

How to turn a junk room into a selling feature:

  • Create a study that doubles as a guest room by using simple furniture such as a desk, chair and futon
  • Ensure walls and windows are clean and freshen up with a touch of paint and/or some new blinds
  • Help potential buyers realise the room’s potential – can you fit a single or double bed in there? Borrow some furniture or pick some up cheaply to help finish the look
  • Where possible, use clean, white linen to help open the room up
  • Include a focal point in the room such as a large artwork.