PREPARE YOUR HOME FOR A NEW YEAR SALE - OUR STEP BY STEP GUIDE

Now that summer is here and with a little extra time on your hands over the Christmas break, if you are considering selling over the warmer new year months it’s a good idea to get started now on preparing your property for sale.

 

The new year is all about showcasing your home's summer living features as well as making sure you tick the box on some standard home preparation principles. Here is a look at what you should be doing leading up to your first open home inspection.


Step 1: Plan and organise any pre-sale renovations and repairs

Walk around your property with fresh eyes. Pretend you are a buyer inspecting your property for the first time and write a list of all the improvements you could makes with the property that you spot on your walk through. Whilst you may not normally notice the broken latch on gate, or the loose paver on the path or the broken roof tile, potential buyers will, and you want to fix these before your first open home.

Once you have your list, start categorising them into jobs you can do, jobs another member of the family can do and jobs that require an expert. For the jobs that need an expert, get onto organising that now. It can take a while to find and book a tradesman and some jobs, such as fixing decking, painting the house or fence, sanding and refinishing floorboards etc can take a while so you need to get organised now.

For the jobs you and your family are going to manage, make sure you add a due date to each task to ensure there is a steady list of jobs to be done each week rather than a mad rush at the end. And most importantly start the jobs now!


Step 2: Declutter, store, donate, sell or discard

This step is all about decluttering the home and removing most of your personal items and potentially some of your larger pieces of furniture to create a flow through the property.

Pack and purge is what we like to call it. Go room by room and sort items into different piles.

Personal items and furniture you want to keep, but remove for the open homes, need to be packed and stored until after the sale. Consider organising a short-term storage facility to keep these safe for the duration of the sales campaign, or better still ask a friend or family member if they have space to store the items for a few weeks For the items you want to get rid of group them items into 3 piles

  1. Discard

  2. Donate

  3. Sell

Once you’ve decided what is to go where, make sure you action the groups accordingly

  • Drop items you’re donating to your local charity bin

  • For the items you are selling; photograph them and get them up on Facebook Marketplace, Gumtree or eBay

  • For items you’re discarding, contact your local council about what options they offer here.

  • Some councils offer free collection of household clean out items or alternatively they can direct you where to take the items

  • Finally, for those pieces you are keeping but want to store while you sell, pack these up and take them to the storage facility or to your friends or family’s garage.

Step 3: Landscaping the garden, patch and paint

Whether you have a small or large outdoor space, it’s important that you showcase it; particularly if selling in summer. Buyers look at decks, verandahs, courtyards and gardens as extensions of their homes. A place to entertain family and friends and enjoy our beautiful climate. Making the most of these areas is important if selling during the warmer months.

This step is all about getting your hands dirty:

  • Weed the garden beds

  • Mow the lawn and add top dressing if it has been hammered over winter

  • Trim all the greenery

  • Edge your walkways

  • Plant new flowers in the garden beds

  • Spread fresh mulch

  • If you own a pool, clean the pool fence and around the pool, and if you haven’t already, get the chlorine levels ready for summer so the pool is sparkling
    Look for every opportunity, a small nook, landing near a door or unused outdoor space and consider adding a relaxing chair so buyers can envisage themselves sitting there reading a book, enjoying a glass of wine or soaking up the sun

  • If your outdoor furniture is looking worn and tired, consider upgrading it, or perhaps hiring outdoor furniture so you have fresh, clean and crisp pieces that really showcase your summer lifestyle

If this seems overwhelming, consider hiring a professional gardener to help you. Depending on the size of your garden, they should be able to get through a lot in a day and this can have a big impact on your sale result.

Step 4: Deep clean & curb appeal

  • With the home looking more spacious and it being easier to clean, now is the time to start cleaning every nook, surface, cupboard and drawer.

  • Go room-to-room to dust and clean every surface and nook

  • Make sure all your windows and window frames are spotless

  • Vacuum the property and mop the floors

  • Dust the walls and remove cobwebs high on the ceilings

  • Make sure there are no stains, mould, or animal hair on any surface

  • Clean and tidy the cupboards inside and out, as buyers often take a sticky beak inside

Enhance your curb appeal

Making a good first impression right from the curb is your goal here. Buyers often do a drive past before working out if they are going to come back for an inspection, so the view of your property from the street, is important.

Fix your curb appeal

  • Sweep all the paths and keep them swept for the duration of the sales campaign

  • Power wash the paths and fence to ensure they are as clean as possible

  • If you haven’t already weed the front garden and any garden bed visible from the street

  • Mow the lawn and clip the hedges

  • Ensure the letterbox is cleaned out every day

  • Ensure there are no cobwebs, wasps nest or dirt on facia and eaves

  • Make sure the street number is clearly visible

  • Ensure outside lights are working and leave them on during the sales campaign period

  • Clean the windows


If selling an apartment

  • Sweep outside the front door

  • Ensure windows are cleaned and blinds / shutters are open

  • If you have a visible balcony, ensure it is tidy and table and chairs are positioned neatly

  • Add some flowering plants to the balcony or hang a window box outside the kitchen window


Step 5: Styling and staging

With the property now decluttered and sparkling clean this step is all about pulling it together and styling it to sell.

Presentation is a critical part of the selling process. Whilst it is not guaranteed, we have seen styling a property for sale add up to 5% - 10% to sale a price. Of course, you don’t need to hire a professional, however they can help transform a property to ensure it appeals to a wider market. Professionals can really help give your property that wow factor. If you want to do it yourself download our room by room Styling to Sell checklist here.

Final step: Finishing touches

Walk through your property again right from the curb, into each room and space. Again, take notes of any issues or things you may have missed and action these. This final step is all about finishing off the loose ends.


Final word

Over the 30+ years we have been selling properties, we find as the new year rolls around people often reassess their living priorities and are keen for a change. We see this with the number of people searching on our website over January and February, looking for properties to buy. With the sun out and buyers often in relaxed holiday mode, if your property offers an inside / outside lifestyle, selling over the new year may be the best time for you and your property. To talk to your local agent about your property click here or download our room by room Preparing Your Home For Sale Checklist below.

 
Cathy Ellis