Selling Your Home for More
By Leigh Martinuzzi
When it comes time to sell your home there are many things to think about to help you maximise your sale result and sell within the quickest time possible with minimal stress. I can’t imagine any client that doesn’t want these outcomes. There are many things to consider: which agent you will use to assist you with the sale; how you will price your home; what marketing is important; and how to best prepare your home for sale, among other things. Below are a few ideas on how you can go about preparing your home for sale with some key areas to focus on. They will make a huge difference to the final result.
YOUR MISSION:
To sell your home for as much as you can, as quickly as you can, with as little stress as possible.
OUR MISSION:
To help you do just that – and without having to wade through a mountain of information first.
Preparing your home for sale can make it stand out from the competition, sell quickly and add thousands to your final sale price – a fact well documented in renovation TV shows such as The Block.
The key is to do the small number of things that will add the most value to your home in the least amount of time, and with minimal outlay. You will be surprised how easy and economical it can be to update the look of your home with new paint, floor coverings and/or granite-look bench tops, for example. In many cases, new floor coverings and benchtops can be placed directly over old ones, saving you time and money.
Take a moment now to look at your home from the perspective of a buyer. Walk around with a paper and pen, and note any wear and tear, damage and signs of bad taste you find. Also, note anything else that might deter your target market. Not always an easy task as we all love our homes and our biased tendency towards our home can be a bit of a block.
Firstly, consider what needs to be repaired. If for example, the walls or window frames are damaged, how might your buyer react? Noticeable property repairs often lead to the buyer wanting to negotiate the seller down in price. The less of this you can avoid the better. Our aim is to negotiate the buyer up in price. We also don’t want buyers to be put off if they see too much work.
Next, are there areas of the house that haven’t been finished? For example, should there be some stepping stones in the garden leading from the deck to the pool? Is one of the rooms only been half painted? Are there certain features of a room that are missing that most people would expect to see?
Finally, try evaluating your home from a purely cosmetic perspective. Is it worn or dated? Does the interior design show bad taste? Is it dark and musty? And what of the yard – is it overgrown; does it need a good haircut? Is the fencing suitable and safe for pets and children?
It is wise to ask your agent for their opinion – after all, they are very close to the market and will know what features attract or turn off buyers. Your agent should also be able to recommend tradespeople and other service providers to help you get your home ready for sale.
Once the necessary repairs and integrity of the home are finalised you are ready for staging and marketing.
If you are considering selling, we have a great easy to read book/guide that can help you in the lead up to the sale of your property. It’s called “You Only Get One Chance” written by Leigh Martinuzzi. We’d love to send you a free copy, just get in touch.
