Dos and Don’ts Of Selling Your Home

When it comes to selling your home, there are a number of things you can do to help it appeal more to your targeted demographic. However, there are also some things that can work against you. We’ve compiled this list of do’s and don’ts to help you in the process of selling your home. 

Don’t assume buyers will love your house

Just because you love your home, doesn’t mean everyone else will. The blue kitchen you designed 5 years ago, which you really love, will unfortunately not appeal to most people. If possible, try to keep any colour schemes neutral and any personal items such as photos should be removed. This will help buyers visualise how they can make the space their own. But don’t go crazy and leave the rooms bare! Buyers want to see how a room can be laid out to accommodate their furniture, such as a loungeroom or bedroom. 

Do declutter your house

Whilst you shouldn’t go ahead and empty your house of everything, you should definitely declutter. Removing any unnecessary items from shelves, benchtops and even inside wardrobes will help open your home and make the space look much bigger. The same goes for furniture – if buyers can’t move freely around your home, it might be time to donate some of your bulkier furniture pieces. Although not as critical, decluttering the shed and garage is also a good idea. Cleaning up these spaces can showcase their potential to a buyer.  

Don’t ignore the damage

Even something as simple as a loose piece of carpet or a wiggly door handle can put doubt in the minds of buyers as they wonder what else might be wrong with the property. Make sure any outstanding repairs are attended to, no matter how small and insignificant they may seem. It will show that the home has been maintained and cared for. 

Do clean up the garden

You want to show off as much of your property as possible to buyers during an inspection, and that includes the front and back garden or yard. Make sure you clear away any rubbish or tools laying around to help your garden look much more open and spacious. Low maintenance gardens are popular with buyers so make sure your lawn is mowed, the gardens are trimmed and mulched and there are no weeds. This gives an impression of easy carefree living. 

Don’t choose the cheapest agent

When deciding which agent should sell your home, don’t be ‘bought’ by the agent with the cheapest fee and the highest market appraisal. Good agents typically will not negotiate their fee as much as other agents, because they don’t need to. It’s better to pay a little extra for the expertise and negotiation skills of a great agent. If an agent will drastically reduce their fee to win your business, imagine what they will do with your sale price to make a sale!

Do take notice of the market

Make sure you’re aware of what is currently for sale and where your property sits in the market. This will help you set realistic price expectations and adjust them if need be. Looking at the current market, buyers are spending more time online looking at photos and videos of a property first before they decide to inspect. Make sure your property is looking its best for the photos and video footage as well as the open home inspections. 

Don’t be there during the inspection

It’s the agent’s job to make sure your house is secure during open house inspections so leave that to them. You being there during the inspection can turn a lot of buyers off. They can feel pressured to pretend to like certain features and it can interfere with them providing honest feedback. Have trust in your agent to do the right thing. 

Now that you know what to do and what not to do, it’s time to prepare your house for sale. If you’d like to find out how our Vendor Advocates can help you with this as well as choosing and managing the agent without costing you a cent, please give us a call today on 0411 522233 or visit www.innovativeproperty.com.au for more information.

What happened this week

The Sydney Auction Clearance Rate was up back into the mid 50's on the weekend however the median price has dropped significantly. A very common statistic used in the industry however often misunderstood, the median house price is essentially the sale price of the middle home in a list of sales where the sales are arranged in order from lowest to highest price. So it really depends on the property type for the bulk of those sold. Keep in mind: this figure doesn't differentiate between houses and units, and covers Sydney as a whole within which there is a large disparity between prices.

Hot Tips For Selling Your Home - Pt 1

Sell Your Home For More In 2022

Thinking of selling soon and need some tips on how to maximise your sale price?

If you haven't already read this Insider's Selling Guide, here it is for you to download. I've included lots of inside tips from 30+ years in the property industry to help you sell your home for more money this year. My gift to you - I hope you enjoy it! Click the image below to download.

I love using the knowledge I've gained during my time as a real estate agent, to help others navigate the buying and selling process. If you'd like some expert advice from a property advocate who genuinely has your best interests at heart, I'd love to hear from you.

Find a suitable time to book a call via my calendar.

Until next time...

Sincerely,

Kathryn 🤍