There are a few mistakes that property sellers make that contribute to their house taking longer to sell and often for a reduced price. But if you’re organised and willing to spend some time before your first home open, you can reap the rewards of a fast, stress-free sale.

Give your House a Deep Clean
A superficial clean of the floors and walls is all some sellers think is necessary but potential buyers will be looking further. Vacuuming and mopping the floor is well and good but cleaning the grout and skirting boards is a better idea. You want potential buyers to walk into your house and think there is nothing for them to do but move in and enjoy the house not think about scrubbing grout lines that should be cream not black.

Remember potential buyers will want to have a good look around so shoving odds and ends in drawers and cupboards so they’re out of sight doesn’t work. People want to see the storage space available in cupboards, drawers, walk-in-robes and closets. Ideally you should go through all of these areas and clean them out so they aren’t over-filled but neat and tidy. Box up any extra items you won’t need during the sale period and move them out of the house. It will be one less thing to do when it comes time to pack. 

An Over Personalised Space
Potential home buyers need to be able to see themselves living in your home. That is much harder to do if there are family photographs on display everywhere or hobbies filling rooms that should be set up as bedrooms to attract families. Declutter and de-personalising your house means visitors spend time looking at the house and not all your belongings. 

First Impressions
Street appeal is important. A house can be fantastic inside but some people may not bother coming in to see it if the outside is un-kept. A tidy garden and front of the house entices visitors to come through. Spend some time on the weekend giving the garden a good weed and trim, check that the gutters and front door aren’t badly faded or flaking. For the cost of a tin of paint, the front of your house can be transformed from drab to fab.

Maintenance    
You might have lived with the difficult to open window, broken flyscreen or warped back door for years but it doesn’t mean a new owner wants to. If you don’t have the time or know-how to fix all those annoying little jobs around the house, call in a maintenance person to do them for you. The fewer things there are to fault with a property the more likely a visitor is to put in an offer.  

When you’ve lived in a property for a number of years, it’s easy to overlook the mess and poor maintenance. Try walking through your house and critique it with fresh eyes or ask a trusted family member, friend or agent to make some suggestions for you. 

Your local Naked Edge Real Estate Agent can give you their professional opinion at the time of appraisal. Book a no obligation appraisal of your property today and ask for their trusted advice.