Preparing your Home for Sale

Why choose to hold open homes when selling?

Open homes are one of the most effective ways of marketing a property and attracting interest from a wide variety of buyers. Some of the advantages are:

• You have plenty of time to ensure your property is tidy and ready for inspections

• You can control the viewing times

• Open homes can create plenty of activity, even in a slow market

• Interest and activity can trigger urgency with buyers

• Your Harcourts sales consultant will have the opportunity to talk to numerous people about your property

• Comments from open home visitors can provide feedback on price, presentation, sales appeal etc.

Top tips for attracting potential buyers and higher offers

De-clutter

The first tip is the simplest. It’s obviously a must to clean and tidy your home before an inspection, but it’s also crucial to also get rid of clutter that could stand in the way of a prospective buyer picturing themselves in the home. That means getting rid of personal knick knacks, unnecessary furniture or furniture not designed for that type of room, for example, a bed within a space traditionally used as a living area. Even if it means putting belongings and furniture into storage until the property sells, the investment will be worth it.

Repair

Make any aesthetic repairs well before inspection. Things as small as a chip in the paint on an interior wall could detract from the overall feel for the home, so get these things done before your open home. You could also invest in updating features like out-dated curtains, older fixtures and fittings, or laying new grass if you have a patchy lawn.

Style

Once your home is clutter free, consider using a home stylist or staging service. The results can be dramatic. Home stylists will take a look at your space and loan you furniture that is best suited to your home. The right size and style of furniture can make spaces look bigger, more comfortable and highly desirable. Again, this will help potential buyers to picture themselves living in the space.

Photograph

Before you even get to your first home inspection, consider using a professional photographer to take quality, well-lit pictures of your home. After going to the trouble of updating, de-cluttering and staging your property, the last thing you want to do is turn people away before they’ve even inspected your home.

A professional photographer can make spaces look bigger, ensure they are well-lit and showcase your home in the best possible way. Plus, you benefit from the experience of someone who knows exactly how to take a photo that appeals. Good photography attracts buyers looking online, scanning through ads and looking through the paper. It’s about piquing interest to attract buyers to inspect in the first place.

Your property may not need all of these tips.

It’s about looking at your home objectively from a prospective buyer’s point of view and assessing what needs to be done. What would distract you if you were inspecting the property? What would you want to replace or update if you were thinking of making an offer? If you were to say to yourself “this place is great, but…”, how would you finish that sentence?

Once you’ve made a list of all the possible things your property needs, follow the four tips above to make your home a stand-out to prospective buyers.