Spring selling season is just around the corner and it’s certainly not too early to be giving it some thought if you’re looking to make an impact on the market.
Taking steps to prepare your home now will help you avoid the stress of a last minute rush to market.
Taking steps to prepare your home now will help you avoid the stress of a last minute rush to market.
We chatted to Kathy Collins, of Urban Splash interiors, to get some tips to preparing for those all important OFIs.
10 tips to get ready for a spring sale
1. Clean & declutter
Make your move easier by beginning the packing process now.
- Clear out all clutter and remove items you don’t regularly use.
- Donate items that haven’t been used in the past 12 months.
- Throw away items that are broken or damaged.
- Shred and dispose of paperwork that is no longer needed.
- Consider a temporary storage facility for bulky pieces of furniture, holiday decor, out of season clothing and any other items you don’t need.
When you clean, pay attention to small details.
- Wash windows
- Dust blinds
- Launder curtains
- Dust baseboards
- Clean appliances
- Straighten contents of your closets
2. Do a thorough inspection
This step will help you avoid any unpleasant surprises during the sale process.
- Inspect your walls and floors for water damage
- Check for plumbing leaks
- Make sure your windows don’t have broken seals,
- Check for any signs of insects or rodents
… and fix any problems that you find.
3. Eliminate odors
Don’t mask household odors with air fresheners, which can be overwhelming and cause allergies in many people. Rather, include freshly cut flowers, the scent of fresh cinnamon boiled on the stove (but remove the pot before the showing), or fresh apples and cookies placed in plain sight in the kitchen.
4. Paint
While you might love your aurbergene walls, there’s a good chance that most buyers won’t. Many buyers want to see a blank canvas where they can inject their own personality. In order to make your home appeal to the largest possible audience, paint your walls in neutral colors in a matt finish.
In order to make your home appeal to the largest possible audience, paint your walls in neutral colors in a matt finish.
Don’t forget to repair any nail holes or other damage before painting, and be sure to touch up ceilings and trim as needed.
5. Finish projects & repairs
Now is the time to complete any home improvement projects you have under way and make any and all necessary repairs to your home.
You’ll most likely find a buyer more quickly and the sale process will be much smoother if everything that needs to be done is taken care of before you lost your property.
If you have additional home improvement projects planned, make sure they can be finished in a short amount of time.
6. Clean or replace flooring
Carpets should be shampooed and treated for stains. Tile and hardwoods should be thoroughly swept and mopped to a shine. Any flooring that is stained, damaged or worn beyond repair should be removed and replaced. Hardwood floors that are scratched or have lost their sheen should be refinished.
Read more: How to choose flooring for your home
7. Freshen up fixtures & hardware
Light fixtures, bathroom mirrors, taps, shower heads and cabinet hardware can all be replaced for very little money and make a huge difference in terms of visual appeal.
8. Create a welcoming entrance
Your front door is the first thing potential buyers will see when they visit your home, so remember to make it inviting. Paint the door if needed, replace any damaged hardware, keep decorations minimal and declutter the entrance area.
9. Stage
An important part of showing your home, staging can be done yourself or by professionals.
Place furniture to maximize the feelings of space and light in your home, with an eye to how rooms flow into each other.
If your decor isn’t cutting it, you can move your belongings into storage and rent furniture and artwork from a home staging service on a monthly basis.
Read more: 7 ways to make a small bedroom look bigger
10. Get your real price
Find out how much you should list your home for by looking at similar properties on realestate.com.au and asking for your agent’s advice.
Take a look at comparable sales and market conditions which will help you determine how much you can expect to sell for in today’s market.
This article was originally published on
19 Aug 2014 at 7:35am
but has been regularly updated to keep the information current.