Taking a little time to get your home ready to present to the market can make the crucial difference to the successful sale of your property. Good presentation helps create the emotional link that makes a buyer fall in love with your home. With this in mind, we have come up with a guide for presenting your home to the market to help get your property ready for its maximum sale price.

There’s an old saying – ‘first impressions last’ and nothing could be truer when it comes to presenting your property for sale. Good presentation can make the crucial difference to the successful sale of your property. It helps to create the emotional link that makes a buyer fall in love with your home. With this in mind, we have come up with a guide of tips to help get your property ready for its maximum sale price.

The MUSTS!
There are two rules we recommend above anything else. No clutter or odours. Your property must be kept clean and clutter free. Clear and tidy all surfaces. If the property looks clean and smells fresh, prospective buyers will form a positive opinion of your home. Whether it’s an open house or a private inspection, the home should be vacant during open home inspections. You should leave potential buyers to wander your halls unencumbered and relaxed. Letting them truly imagine the house as their own. Head out for a short stroll, taking any other family members (including pets) with you. The prospective buyer is unlikely to voice their true opinion of the property if you're present and will often rush through the inspection. Needless to say, it makes all the difference.

Maintenance
Get those maintenance tasks off your to-do list! Fixing that loose door handle, oiling the hinges of the squeaky cabinet, mowing the lawn, pulling up the weeds – all the things you have become accustomed to and promised yourself you would get around to… well NOW is the time!

Starting this process well before your open house will mean that you’ll have plenty of time to bring in a professional should one of these tasks prove more challenging that first thought. Any small issues like these can be an instant turn off for the potential buyer as they will mentally add up their perceived cost of repairs and leaves an impression in their mind of owner neglect, making them wonder what other issues there might be potentially lowering the price or lengthening the time to sell.

Tips:
1. Check all corners for peeling paint, chipped edges and loose wallpaper and repair accordingly.
2. Screens should be free of any tears, holes, dust, and cobwebs.
3. Inspect all locks to ensure they are functioning properly.

Essential Cleaning
Every area of the property must sparkle and shine! Each hour spent will be worth the effort. Make it easy for the buyer to want your home.

Tips:
1. Clean all the windows, including the laundry and garage.

2. Clean all carpets and rugs. Clean and polish lino, tile, and wooden floors. Consider re-finishing a wooden floor and filling gaps between floorboards if necessary.

3. Clean and polish all woodwork, paying particular attention to kitchen and bathroom cabinets.

4. Clean all light fixtures. The glass covers of most ceiling fixtures can be made to sparkle by running them through the dishwasher.

5. Clean and polish ceiling fans. Take down and clean exhaust fan covers, as these are dust magnets.

Design
Think of living areas as furniture showrooms. Add touches that make a room look truly inviting.

• The use of a brightly coloured pillow on a chair or a throw rug on a sofa can add dimension to an otherwise neutral room.

• Soften potentially offending views, but always let light into your rooms. Consider replacing heavy curtains with something lighter.

• If you have a fireplace, place a few logs on the grate to create an attractive appearance. You are welcome to have a fire going for showing during the winter months it creates a great atmosphere.

• Remove oversized television sets if they dominate the room and make it appear smaller. If necessary, substitute your television with a smaller one until you move.

Walls & Carpet
Freshening up your property with a coat of paint or relaying old & tired carpet is always a sound investment. The difference it makes to the overall presentation of the property is enormous and it instantly helps to modernise your home.

Colour can also be used cleverly used to make a room look bigger or smaller. If you don’t have the time, money, or inclination to paint the whole house, concentrate on small but impactful features such as the front door. A brightly coloured front door will boost your home’s street appeal and will be a talking point among buyers. Keeping this in mind, be cautious about selecting colours when painting the interior walls or replacing the carpet.

Your objective is to make your home appeal to the largest possible segment of the market. Keep your personal taste separate and remember this is a display for the average buyer with common demand, selecting a neutral colour scheme will make it easy for the buyers to mentally picture your home as their own.

Minimise possessions
Create the illusion of more space!
The cheapest solution of all! Paring your furniture back will help potential buyers better visualise their own items in the space. It will also open up rooms so that they’re easier to walk through (important for open inspections) and they’ll appear roomier.
Consider removing some furniture from smaller rooms, or any room that may seem overcrowded. If necessary, put large items in storage. Take down photo frames so prospective buyers can imagine themselves living in your home.

Aromas
A clean, fresh-smelling home creates a positive image in a buyer’s mind. Be aware of any odours from cooking, cigarette smoke, pets etc. These may have adverse effects on potential buyers. If re-carpeting isn't an option, have them professionally cleaned to remove any odours.

Air conditioning filters can be another source of unpleasant odour. Clean the vent covers and change the filters at least once a month. A high accumulation of dust detracts from the presentation of your home and can circulate odour throughout the property. Consider having the air conditioning ducts professionally cleaned.

Replace any of these negative aromas with inviting smells using flowers, candles, air fresheners or even freshly brewed coffee or baked cookies! Studies have shown that humans have strong, positive responses to certain aromas.

Front Garden & Yard
The difference a maintained garden makes to the overall impression a property can give is huge! We recommend not skipping this step if you’re putting your property up for sale or if you’re preparing for open homes.
Here’s why…

Your front yard will be one of the first things your buyers see, so you want it to make a great first impression. It makes sense when you consider how many people will take a drive past of your property before they decide to look inside. Therefore, it’s worth putting in the effort before you go on the market to maximise your home’s ‘Street Appeal’.

The grass & plants should look neat and well-watered and any outdoor furniture should be cleaned. Stand across the road and cast a buyer’s critical eye over the street presentation of your property, including the nature strip.

• Sweep and wash the driveway and walkways to remove debris, dirt, and stains. Remove any oil stains if possible.

• Repair and patch any cracks, edge the sides, and pull up any weeds.

• Clear the driveway of any objects or children’s toys, this area wants to look clean, clear and un-cluttered.

• Ensure the grass is neatly mowed, raked, and edged.

• Prune and shape shrubbery and trees

• Consider adding seasonal flowers to your garden.

• Add bark mulch around your shrubs and trees to instantly freshen and renew garden beds.

• If you have a wooden deck, ensure the wood is not too faded. A quick coat of stain or paint may be in order.

• Check your fence for any loose or broken posts and replace any rotted wood.

The Front Entry
The front door is a focal point of the inspection, no matter how big or small, the front entry of your home deserves particular attention.

If there is plenty enough space, get a small hallway table and put pot plants or flowers on top to make it inviting. Virtually any entry hall will benefit from a well-placed mirror to give the illusion of space, this will go great above the hall table.

An entry cupboard (if you have one) will be the first one inspected, therefore make it appear roomy. Remove all off-season clothing and add extra hangers.

Consider using an attractive welcome mat to greet buyers when they come through your front door. It can also encourage them to wipe their feet and keep dirt from tracking through the property.

Kitchen
A visually appealing and functional kitchen is high on almost every buyer's priority list and therefore warrants extra careful attention.
Tips:
• Avoid clutter. Clear benchtops of small appliances to maximise the appearance of workspace.

• Check the benchtop around your sink and remove any dishes, detergent, brushes, etc., which maybe cluttering the area.

• Appliances (oven, cooktop etc.) should be thoroughly cleaned, inside and out.

• Set the scene with an open cookbook, a basket filled with fruit, a vase of fresh flowers, or a mixing bowl & wire whisk.

• Create the aromas commonly associated with happy homes. Bake some cookies, a loaf of bread, or pop a frozen apple pie in the oven.

• If you have a breakfast bar, set two attractive place settings and place cushions on the stools.

Finishing Touches
The finishing touches before the open home to ensure your property is ready to go and presented its best ready for making buyers fall in love!
Tips
• Draw back the curtains and blinds and turn on

• all the lights – it brightens your home and creates a lovely, warm atmosphere

• Present your home as if you’re expecting a guest,

• Soaps and hand towels for the bathroom, perhaps a jug of water and nice glasses for the deck

• Keep an eye on the weather and heat or cool your home so its optimal temperature when the buyers walk through