Cold and drizzly weather, two doonas on the bed and regular lashings of comfort food to warm the soul…..
It may sound odd while we’re in the midst of an unseasonably cold winter, but now’s the perfect time to start think about getting your property ready for a Spring Sale – if that’s in your game plan.
Because while the home fires may literally be burning to keep you warm for the moment, in the property market they’re starting to get all hot and bothered about the upcoming peak season of Spring – because it’s such a popular time for many people to put their place on the market.
So what can you do and what should you do over the next six weeks to improve the chances of selling your property for what you want, without breaking the budget?
Even if you don’t have much money to splash around, there’s some simple things you can do to give your place some extra shhoosshh come sale time:
- PAINT: Don’t ever underestimate the power of the paintbrush. It can transform the too much to the too cool and has the power to elevate the senses to think about how fresh and clean that potential new pad can be. So for a couple of hundred dollars, even if you DIY – why wouldn’t you put on a painting shirt and go for it!
- ACCESSORISE: If you’ve watched the plethora of lifestyle shows which have popped up over the last 5-10 years you don’t need to be told about the importance of making a place feel stylish, co-ordinated and above all appealing and saleable to a wide demographic. So if you’re feeling like you’re place is in need of a makeover, invest in some low cost but smart furnishings to tie all the rooms together – and if home decorating is simply not your forte, enquire with your intended real estate agent. Many agents have links with reputable stylists who can give your property the look it needs by hiring furniture and accessories for the duration of the sales campaign – with the aim of getting you a decent return on your investment.
- FIX: Dooknobs that fall off when you use them, a leaking tap or toilet, a broken doorbell, lights that won’t turn on…..the list goes on and needless to say these are exactly the sort of things that turn potential buyers off. So if you or your partner is not a Fix-It type, call someone who is and invest in a few hours of their time to ensure your place is in decent working order when prospective buyers come poking their nose into places. It can be a guaranteed turn off if there are too many broken or faulty items in a house – buyers will wonder what else is not working in places they can’t see!
- GARDEN. Look at your backyard and front-yard and think about how it may appear to a first time viewer. If there are weeds, grass that’s too long, trees and shrubs that need a good trim or if there’s too many items left hanging around because you’ve been too busy to have a decent clean up – now’s the time to put your green-thumb to work. And remember that green is good – because there’s not too many people that won’t appreciate any space where they can either tread barefoot or doesn’t require them to spend their time vacuuming or mopping.
- THE X-TRA FACTOR. You’ve often heard about the value that freshly cut flowers, the aroma of home baking and other touches can have on a property…. use your common sense and think about what appeals to you when you visit someone’s house. What draws you to a particular place and what repels you? Make your place distinct from similarly priced properties on the market by putting on your thinking cap and speaking to your agent about what you can do to differentiate your place from the pack.
We hear too much about winter being the time to sit back and become a bit complacent about ourselves and what’s happening around us, but for those who want to be moving forward by the New Year into the next phase of their property plans, there’s no better time than now to make hay than while the winter sun shines.
Tags: Move House, Property, Renovate, Upgrade