Your home is probably your biggest asset and when you have decided it is time to move on, you want to reap the maximum amount of cash possible!
With a little forward planning and some elbow grease you can make your home super attractive to prospective buyers and be rewarded with a contract for top dollar.
This post is an entry in the Heritage Bank Savvy Saver Competition, with $11,000 of prize money to be awarded to Australian bloggers plus $100 being awarded to some lucky voters as well.
Before you get your agent to hang the ‘For Sale’ sign up in your front yard invest a little time and money so you are ready to rock your first open house.
FIRST IMPRESSIONS
The very first thing prospective buyers will see when they pull up at your house is the garden.
An overgrown patch of weeds is not enticing and they will already be envisioning hours of hard work ahead of them to make it look nice.
Get the family over for a few hours to trim trees and bushes, pull out weeds and mow the lawns.
If any of your fence palings are coming loose, hammer them back in place.
Pop down to your local nursery and buy some seedlings or potted colour to add some bright floral bursts to your yard.
LESS IS MORE
If you have ever needed motivation to declutter, this has got to be the best time ever to get rid of all those things you simply do not need anymore.
When you move everything has to be packed up and forwarded on.
Why not take this opportunity to reduce the amount of things that have to pack and throw out or donate all those things that have been piling up unused for years.
If you have not used something in the last 12 months, there is a very good chance you will never use it again. Say goodbye now!
Culling furniture and belongings is the quickest way to make your home look bigger and brighter.
Sticky beak buyers will open cupboards to see how much storage space is on offer. If everything looks full and messy, they will start to wonder if they can fit all their belongings in.
Short term hire of a storage shed can be a great way to clear space in your home now. Packing up precious items and placing them in storage can make moving day much easier.
WHAT IS ON YOUR WALLS?
The more you have hanging on your walls, the smaller your room will look.
Art is such a personal thing, so try and reduce the amount of pictures that adorn your walls and keep it to a few select pieces that give off a positive feeling and are light in colour.
If you have a wall of family photo’s this can be intimidating to prospective buyers. Just stick to one or two favourites.
Buy or borrow a mirror or two. Hanging mirrors can really help to create the illusion of space. Try and hang them on a wall that faces a window and if possible your garden. The mirror will reflect light and greenery and can brighten a space instantly.
THE HEART OF YOUR HOME
Unless you have a brand new kitchen, this is one part of your home that will show the wear and tear of time.
Make yours look the best it possibly can, by ensuring it is spotlessly clean.
Clear everything off the benches with the exception of necessities such as a kettle and coffee machine.
If the tiles and splash back are really looking worse for wear, you could consider painting them a neutral colour.
Adding new handles to the kitchen cupboards and drawers can instantly update the look.
Hang a new tea towel and add a pot of fresh herbs or a bunch of flowers and leave it at that.
BATHROOM BASICS
Make sure your bathroom looks fresh and functional.
Grout can be given a new lease on life with handy grout pens.
Use half a lemon to rub over chrome taps and spouts to help them shine.
Flush the drains with Bicarb Soda and white vinegar to ensure there are no smells wafting up from the pipes.
Hang a matching set of new towels to streamline the look.
FINISHING TOUCHES
On open house day, add some of these touches before you leave.
Fresh sheets in a light neutral tone.
Open all curtains and windows and let fresh air flow through.
Burn some essential oils in a citrus scent such as lemon, orange, lime, lemongrass or tangerine as these invoke feelings of happiness.
A beautiful bunch of fresh flowers at your entrance.
Hide away all valuables for safety.
Empty rubbish bins.
Making your home looked loved and cared for will invite prospective buyers to confidently feel this is the home for them.
Then all you have to do is sign on the dotted line and start planning your move to bigger and better things.
Please click on this link and vote, many thanks! 🙂
Love the mirror idea. Must find a lovely one or three.