Selling With Us

Your House

You’ve lived there for some time, maybe raised a family, celebrated a few milestones & along the way lived out your dreams. Within those walls you’ve created an individual lifestyle that reflects your likes & aspirations. A home cocoons, comforts & offers security, stability & a sense of pride.

The Decision to Sell

Can be an emotional one but it is also a time for great optimism & excitement. The next step in your life represents change, as you leave one part behind & move onwards to a new lifestyle. Someone else is in the same position – a buyer. Whoever comes looking at your house will be searching for a home that will take them into that next optimistic stage of their life. They too are making decisions & what you want to do is to help them make the right decision about your home!

“The goal is always to make your home the most appealing on the market. We want you to participate in the process of preparing your home for sale.”

Take a Critical Look

Walk through the house, or ask a friend, & try to be objective. Keep in mind that rarely is a home ready to be marketed at a moment’s notice. So look critically at your home & notice the things you’ve spent years overlooking. Your aim should be to ‘present’ your home in such a way that it looks its absolute best. Consider the best features of your home & most importantly put yourself in the buyer’s position. If you notice any objectionable features then you can be sure that the buyer will too.

Remember the three R’s, ‘Repair, Revamp & Reap the Rewards’.

The Competitive Edge

This first impression is crucial. A buyer should be interested enough to want to come in. If it looks good from the outside they already have an expectation that the inside will be just as good. Capitalise on this by ensuring everything is just right. In today’s marketplace, creating an emotional bond between the buyer & the home is the key to selling success.

If your windows are sparkling, the lawns are edged and the garden is neat then you are sending a message to the buyer that you care about your home. Think about it as a beauty treatment for your home.

“Your home is like a book it tells a story & just like a book, it will be judged by its cover.”

Atmosphere

Lighting is extremely important as it generates mood. Bright light makes a small space appear larger & softer light creates a warm intimate feel. So, if there are gloomy corners in your home turn the lights on even if it is sunny outside. Open all window coverings & leave some doors tantalisingly open, especially doors leading to living areas. Clean unobstructed windows to let the natural light in which helps bring the garden into view.

The Inside

Buyers look for homes, not houses. The feeling from inside your home will affect its desirability. So focus on creating the right atmosphere. This is easily achieved & doesn’t have to cost a cent. Remember a house is a celebration of the everyday regardless of whether it is a classic, traditional or modern home. So a bit of natural clutter such as a few magazines, notes by the telephone, & a newspaper are expected.

“Now is the time to turn the spotlight onto your home”

It is vital that a home is neat. Ruthlessly de-clutter & consider removing furniture if it makes the room appear smaller than it really is. Take down posters, remove excess knick-knacks. Your items might be precious to you but a buyer needs the visual freedom to imagine their sofa in your lounge room. But don’t go overboard and create a sterile interior. Buyers are attracted to it because it is clean, welcoming & friendly while presenting a lifestyle to which they aspire.

Create pleasant smells, use candles, fresh flowers or try boiling a cinnamon stick or lemon peel for a fresh clean scent. Pay particular attention to strong cooking odours in the kitchen or pet smells including pet food bowls and cigarette smoke.

Don’t be hesitant about playing some soft background music. Retail specialists have proven that light music makes buyers stay longer & spend more. Why not use this to your advantage?

“Let the benefits of your home be self evident and not left to the imagination”

Bathrooms have the power to restore your soul & have noticeably been transformed from the purely functional to super chic. But this doesn’t mean you have to consider an expensive renovation. Update with new knobs, towel rack or simply add fluffy towels or some aromatherapy candles. A good thorough clean of the shower screen, mirrors & grouting will add sparkle to this room.

The Outdoors

The outdoors can add unconscious value so make the best use of your garden, deck or verandah. Arrange some outdoor furniture, clean the BBQ & add some ‘visual stunners’ such as a pair of big pots brimming with healthy plants. The outdoors is an extension of the indoors so again tidiness is vital.

The Inspection

By now all your efforts will be evident & you may feel you want to tell the buyer how great your home is. But most buyers will feel uncomfortable meeting you & consequently they tend to spend less time in your home & ask less questions of the agent for fear of offending you. Remember your agent is working for you.

Minor Repairs

Ask yourself if your home is physically fit? This doesn’t have to equate to expensive repairs & alterations. Buyers can be poor judges of the cost of repairs & can allow a large margin for error when making an offer on such a property.

So, fix that broken screen door, clean gutters, clear the letterbox of junk mail & sweep the front path. You can mulch garden beds & plant annual flowers for instant colour & homeliness.

A property that is poorly presented says beware, there is too much work to be done here!

Establish the Positives

Sometimes what you think may not be a selling feature can turn out to be a positive point. Consider a small garden. Some people do not want the maintenance of a large yard, especially professional couples & retired people looking to downsize. Negatives can easily become positives depending on what you want & how you look at it.

For more information regarding Russell Property Partners Sales process call 02 4947 8088 or email sales@russellproperty.com.au for our Sellers information Pack.