Laing and Simmons

101 TIPS 3 Neutralising 17 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. Ask yourself, “How many prospective buyers would feel able to move into my home with their own furniture and not want to replace the carpet or repaint the walls?” Position your property on the market to be as liveable to as many people as possible. Select a neutral colour scheme that will make it easy for the buyers to mentally picture your home as their own. 18 Sorry, but you will have to put your personal taste on hold. The market is always driven by buyer demand and the average buyer will have difficulty looking beyond the blue carpeting and bold wallpapers. Consider replacing unusual or bold colours with neutral tones. Space management Create the illusion of more space. 19 Arrange furniture to give the rooms a spacious feeling. Consider removing some furniture from smaller rooms, or any room that may seem overcrowded. If necessary, put large items in storage. 20 Pack up your collectibles, both to protect them and to give the room a more spacious feel. Leave out just enough accessories to give the home a personal touch. 21 Remove all clutter and make a habit of picking up clothing, shoes and personal possessions for each and every inspection or Open House. 22 Empty cupboards of off-season clothing and pack them away for the move. Organise cupboards to demonstrate the most efficient use of space. Cupboards should look as though there is room to add more. 23 Use light to create a sense of space. All window treatments should be open. Turn on appropriate lights for the showing. Atmosphere Put yourself in a potential buyer’s shoes and consider the overall atmosphere of your home. Keep in mind your sense of smell as you go through the checklist. 24 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. Remember that some people are much more sensitive to odours than others. 25 You can use products like carpet deodorisers, air fresheners and room deodorisers, but the best strategy is to remove the source of the odour rather than cover it up. 26 Unfortunately, often the only way to remove the smell of pet soiling from carpet is to rip it up and replace it, including the underlay. 27 If smoking and cooking odours have permeated your home, have your carpets and furniture cleaned, and air or dry-clean your curtains. 28 Mildew odours can also be offensive. Don’t allow wet towels to accumulate in hampers or dirty clothes to pile up in cupboards. 29 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. You may want to consider having the air conditioning ducts professionally cleaned. 30 Once offensive odours have been eliminated, consider adding pleasant scents. Studies have shown that humans have strong, positive responses to certain aromas, such as cinnamon, flowers or freshly baked bread.