You’ve signed on the dotted line, crossed your T’s, dotted your I’s and now you fully understand the complexities of selling your home. Well…. maybe… at least the first two are completed and you are one step closer to getting your home listed for sale and ready for the world to see. Or are you?

This next step can be a pivotal point to how your home is perceived in the market, it can affect the expectation of the buyer and determine the level of enquiry on your property. Presenting your home for sale doesn’t have to be ‘hard work’, but it’s so important to start your campaign with your best foot forward. Yep, I’m hearing you when you say, ‘it’s easier said than done’!

Let’s break it down into smaller chunks so it doesn’t seem so daunting, who knows, it could bring out the inner stylist in you!

But firstly, let me tell you about a conversation I had with Paul Jellie, one of the directors here at Homeseeka Real Estate with over 20 years of experience listening to what buyers have to say about how a home presents to them. “There is a 100 reasons why a buyer doesn’t buy a home, but the two main ones that I hear time and time again are that it's too small or too dark. You need to appeal to the five senses” Paul said.

Yikes! Exactly how do you make a home bigger than it seems, it’s got four walls and a roof that ain’t going to move! Good news, we have for you a bag of tricks that will launch your home onto the market and wow the buyers.

At the end of the day, a home presented in the best way stands a better chance of selling for a high price and in a quicker time than a home that is presented poorly.

Lighten up – If your home tends to be on the darker side, think about ways of counteracting this. Replace dull light globes with a higher wattage globe, if able, turn lamps on during inspections. Open blinds and remove heavy privacy curtains that impede the incoming light. Choose lighter coloured soft furnishings, a doona cover with a light throw can also brighten a space. A floor rug is an easy fix to lighten dark floors. Help create the illusion of light by using a strategically placed mirror.

Create space – Decluttering is a must! It’s time to put away the frames that cover the side tables, the pile of dumped shoes at the front door and loose the 100’s of magnets off the fridge. Cereal boxes, knife sets, dish drying rack and tea towels don’t sell kitchens likewise either do the ten items sitting on the bathroom vanity or shower floor. Instead, choose simple statement pieces that showcase the space and try to avoid putting oversized furniture into a small area. Don’t neglect the outside of your home, chop back trees and foliage that hangover walkways and the building. Make yourself a checklist for pending inspections. Be optimistic. Your home will sell and you would have been boxing up your belongings anyway.

Appeal to the senses - you’ve created the look now lets set the mood! Ambience can be achieved in many ways, an open fire burning, soft lighting on a dull day, fresh scents in the bathroom. If it’s cold, think about turning a heater on. I’ve even known of sellers to have a freshly made cake or brewed pot of coffee sitting in the kitchen to lure the senses. Smell is particularly important within the home, and even more so if you have pets. Some odours can be very off-putting to buyers. Before inspections ensure cages are cleaned, and dog/cat bowls are placed outside. Smells within the home can be improved by various types of neutralizing aerosols, or plug-in fresheners, fresh flowers, oil burners or incense. If possible try and remove pets, in particular dogs. Remove them from the property for inspections or leave them outside or in a shed/outbuilding.

Channel your inner Sadie — Ensure the kitchen and bathrooms are as clean as possible, these two areas within the home are heavily scrutinized by buyers and can influence a sale both positively or negatively. Ensure the overall home is tidy and clean. This is a balancing act between living daily, but ensuring the home is presented in a neat and tidy condition is a must for prospective buyers. Lights, camera, action! You’re ready for photographs to be taken and are well and truly prepared for the pending inspections. Plan to have consistency across your visual presence, photography through to inspections, you don’t want your buyer disappointed by a home the presents beautifully online but doesn’t match it in-home. Good luck!

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