As soon as some homeowners start thinking about selling, they start by looking around their home and creating a list of things to do (tasks they should have already done) before going on the market. Now this can be the starting point to either a greater sale price or a complete lack of interest from potential buyers.
Over the years, I have seen many ‘patch up’ jobs done by home sellers and after watching a few ‘home shows’ they have now built the confidence and ‘knowledge’ to improve the look and feel of their home ready for the unsuspecting buyers! Poor workmanship often destroys best price opportunity as in so many cases the untrained renovator’s workmanship can easily be seen by the ‘unsuspecting buyer’, and this can raise more concerns than interest around the property.
Preparing your home for sale is sometimes far more easily done when you leave things as is rather than trying to hide issues, as it is often best to make all intending buyers aware of any items around the home needing attention. A buyer may see this as an opportunity to offer a seller less, however the amount of time and money that can be spent by a seller getting the property in a more presentable state could be costlier and more time consuming than accepting an offer.
In any case, a good starting point is to have the gardens done and the home cleaned, but beyond this I believe it is important to seek third party advice. Now I am not just talking about getting a stylist or a home decorator in, even though these should be considered, but more so family and friends – maybe not family – basically people who are not afraid to tell you what they really think of your home’s current presentation! I have often found that this is the best advice a seller can receive as a third party will see things a ‘comfortable’ home seller won’t. I am not sure whether they will remain friends as sometimes honesty is not the best policy when friends tell friends what they really think.
Apart from gardens, home cleaning and ‘styling advice from friends’, there are a number of very basic points that a seller should consider when preparing their property for sale:
- Neutralise your Home
You need to de-personalise your home and create a neutral environment so that potential buyers can look beyond your taste and your personal choices. This would include removing family photos and personal items.
- Inspection Times
Where possible, make your home available for inspections as the more you restrict an inspection the less you expose your property to potential buyers.
- Leave the home
Don’t hang around during inspections or when an open home is being conducted. Potential buyers will rush through your home if they see you sitting there, and even more concerning is that a potential buyer will be reluctant to offer feedback if you are in earshot. Feedback, especially to a knowledgeable real estate agent, is vital to closing a sale on your property.
Preparing your property for sale is not just about mowing the lawns and giving the property a general clean, it’s more about how the property is presented by the agent and a big part of this is to ensure you are out of the way so that the property itself and the agent work together to get you the best possible price in the shortest possible time.
Go for a walk and if it’s raining, take an umbrella – whatever it takes to get you out of the way of the selling process!
