Laing and Simmons

2 101 TIPS General There are two rules we recommend above anything else. 1 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. 2 Whether it’s an Open House or a private inspection, it is imperative that you are not there. Buyers find it hard to feel comfortable and picture themselves living in the property if the current owners are present. The prospective buyer is unlikely to voice their true opinion of the property and will often rush through the inspection. Needless to say, it makes selling your home difficult. So go shopping for an hour or visit a friend. Let the agent do their job! Maintenance The Rule of Thumb is – if something needs repair, fix it! 3 There may be several things in your home that you have simply become accustomed to over time - things that you have been promising yourself to attend to. Well NOW is the time. Buyers will mentally add up their perceived costs of repairing all those minor flaws and end up with an amount that is generally much higher than your actual costs will be. You may believe the repairs are insignificant, however the buyer may question the maintenance and upkeep of the rest of the property. Necessary, noncritical minor repairs and perceived owner neglect will either lower the price or lengthen the time to sell. 4 Check all corners for peeling paint, chipped edges and loose wallpaper and repair accordingly. 5 Repair all major problems. In today’s climate of open disclosure and vigilant home inspections, the ‘Golden Rule’ applies: Treat the buyer as you would treat yourself. Cleaning 6 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. 7 Clean all of the windows, including the laundry and garage. 8 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. 9 Clean and polish all woodwork, paying particular attention to kitchen and bathroom cabinets. 10 Clean all light fixtures. The glass covers of most ceiling fixtures can be made to sparkle by running them through the dishwasher. 11 Clean and polish ceiling fans. Take down and clean exhaust fan covers, as these are dust magnets. Set the scene This part of preparing your home for sale can be the most fun and involves the use of colour, lighting and accessories to emphasise the best features of your home. 12 Study magazine ads and furniture showrooms to see how small details can enhance the appearance of a room. Simple additions, such as a vase of flowers, an open book on the coffee table, or a basket of logs by the fireplace, can make a room more attractive and appealing. Be careful not to create distracting clutter though. 13 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. Use accent pieces for colour. 14 Soften potentially offending views, but always let light into your rooms. Consider replacing heavy curtains with something lighter. 15 Take advantage of natural light as much as possible - clean windows, open blinds and curtains etc. Add additional lighting where needed. Be sure that all light fittings are clean and have working bulbs. 16 If your kitchen has fluorescent lighting fixtures, use ‘warm-white’ bulbs for a bright appearance.