Getting Your Home Ready For The Sale

Every seller wants their home to sell fast and bring in the top bucks, but it takes more than luck to make this happen. Careful thought and planning goes into sprucing up your home to convince homebuyers to start scurrying for their checkbooks.

How to get your home ready for a sale

This is the second article in a 3-part series where you’ll find a complete home owner’s survival guide.

We explore the three key areas that can help you get the best price in the shortest time possible.

Part 1 was all about “Choosing the right estate agent” and in the final article, Part 3, we show you ways that you, as the seller, can “Help Turn ‘For Sale’ Into ‘Sold’ Fast”.

How to get your home ready for the sale

Your buyer will probably see your home online. Photos from every angle can help the buyer make a short list of properties. However, there’s really no substitute for physically going through the property when it comes to making a solid buying decision.

This is when the buying decision will be made and is the reason why your home needs to be looking its very best.

Building plans approval:
Are your plans up to date and approved? Many homeowners forget or simply skip the important step of securing official planning approval before making renovations to their homes. When potential buyers find out about this after making an offer, they may take their offer off the table again, rather than deal with the hassle of getting plans approved. In a worst case scenario the buyer may end up claiming damages if the consequences involve legalities and eventual cancellation of the sale.

Remove any clutter:
It’s time to go through every area in your property with the ‘eyes of a potential buyer’ looking for furniture items that might clash with general tastes. Remove any bulky items that make a room seem smaller. Maybe that bright red sofa needs to go.

Pay particular attention to any defects or minor maintenance issues. Repaint any odd coloured walls to something more neutral. Fix broken lighting and replace loose or broken handles and door knobs. All these tasks should be itemised, repaired and remedied well before the first buyer shows up.

Scrutinize curb appeal:
It’s an absolute non-starter if the buyer won’t even get out of the car because the exterior of your home is a disappointment. So step outside and take a look through a potential buyer’s eyes. Does it make you want to enter? Does the house welcome you? Make your house sparkle by washing windows inside and out, trim hedges and keep the garden looking neat while your property is on the market.

Fix broken handles and door knobs

Spring clean:
Give the entire home a thorough clean. Steam clean grubby carpets and wash the walls. Make sure out of the way areas are free of cobwebs and make sure the kitchen and the bathrooms are spotless. Give all the light bulbs and any flourescent tubes a wipe and clean up all the light fittings in your home.

Help potential buyers to picture themselves in the home:
Buyers should feel welcome and have the space to be able to view the property at their leisure, visualising living in the home.

One way to do this is to pack away personal items and photos to prevent distractions and help buyers see themselves in your home. Neutral, muted wall colours work best as does the addition of a few well-placed decorative items to add interest and warmth.

Frans Theunissen of Fisherhaven Properties knows all about getting properties ready for the market. Frans launched his estate agency more than 30 years ago and has lived and worked in the area ever since. He has more than 30 years of experience, helping sellers to make a professional assessment of what can be done to get a property ready for the market.