Before you show your property to an agent or list your property for rent or sale, you need to make it look it's absolute best, so here are some tips for you.
First impressions are important, so it is extremely important that these first impressions are good ones. Have a look around your home.
Does it present well? Chances are that you have been living in your home and it looks very much just that – lived in.
That is not a bad thing, as this is what also can make a house look homely and welcoming. However, quite often houses tend to be a little cluttered which may make your property feel crowded and small. By doing something as simple as removing some clutter and excess furniture you can make a room feel spacious and stylish without having to spend a cent.
If the house is an empty house, there is also the option of ‘staging’. There are a number of property stagers and stylists that, for a fee, can style your home with rented furnishings for the duration of the sale to make it feel modern and homely – a great idea if your own style is a little left field. They will usually style the home to its best advantage.
Making a home look and feel modern making the most of each room’s features can hide a multitude of sins. The same goes for the outside of the property.
Give the garden a good overhaul – mow, prune, trim, clean so that it so that the garden looks neat and manageable. An out of control garden gives the impression of high maintenance even if it is not. Is the facade of the house presentable?
Fly screens fixed, doors painted, gutters cleaned, shoes moved away from the front door? It is the little things that can make a huge impression on how your property is first perceived.
Here are a few things to look out for outside...
- Street Appeal - How does your house look from the street?
- Fencing - does it need repairing?
- Mailbox - has it seen better days?
- Awnings - are the cobwebs removed?
- Gutters - are they clean and leaves removed?
- Verandah - is there a collection of shoes and toys?
- Windows - clean the windows, especially the front ones!
- Drive way - is it clean? A freshly gurneyed driveway can look amazing!
And inside...
- Pets – if you have them indoors, take them on an adventure (away from the house) when people are visiting the house. Pet smells can be very off-putting, so aromatise the house if this is the case. If they are in the backyard make sure that any droppings are removed from view.
- Remove clutter – this is a big one. Remove anything that is out on display that does not need to be. This includes photographs, knick-knacks, excess furnishings, clothes, shoes, food and utensils in the kitchen. People like to see nice clean uncluttered surfaces – it will make a room feel much more spacious
- Painting – paint any surfaces that need to be painted, taking care to cut in properly – there is nothing worse than a bad paint job – you may as well not have done it is if it is not going to be done properly.
- Clean carpets – it doesn’t hurt to give carpets good steam clean. This will remove any odours and stains that a carpet may be harbouring. Steam cleaning and regrouting tiles are quick and easy fix as well.
- Fix what needs fixing – fix leaking taps, hinges on doors and cupboards, lights that have blown, and anything else that is obvious – why give a potential buyer a reason to negotiate due to something that can be so easily repaired.
- Style your house to suit the trend – not everyone can afford to do this, but if your house and furniture are a little ‘aged’, it can make your home look older than it needs to look. By simply having some stylish pieces, even just in the way of soft furnishings, it can make a huge difference to the ‘target buyers’ that you may attract. Professional staging could be an option here.