First Impressions Count!

You never get a second chance to make a first impression! Remember; you are trying to sell your home to someone else. This means that you shouldn’t decorate it to suit your tastes but rather, think about who is most likely to buy it. Will it suit a family or a professional couple? Talk to your Starr Partners agent about how it is going to be marketed and this will highlight potential targets.

Start thinking of your house or apartment as an asset, not your home. The purchase of your next house may rely on achieving the best possible price for your home so keep this in mind and focus on whatever it takes to secure the best sale price for your home.

Ask a trusted “friend of a friend” to come through your house and assess it objectively, as if they are a potential buyer. This way you can ask for the “harsh” truth and they will deliver it to you. You may be so used to many things in your house like the squeaky stairs or the stains on the carpet, but a potential buyer will notice those things immediately.

When it comes to making the sale, you might find that your book will be judged by its cover so it is best to work from the outside in when conducting your property’s makeover. The majority of buyers have made up their minds at the front gate, so focus on retaining their attention when they come to inspect your house.

A good idea is to put yourself in the purchaser’s shoes. Pop over the road and have a long look at your house from across the street. What needs cleaning up? Are there any dead branches or patches in the lawn? Look at what detracts from the house, get your “friend of a friend” to tell you what stands out – both good and bad.
In the front and back yard:

• You want to give the impression of a healthy, luxuriant, colourful garden. If there is time, plant some flowers and reseed the lawn. If not, consider hiring or borrowing flowers and shrubs, especially for the entrance to your home.
• Make sure the plants you do have are kept healthy and neat. Put down fertilizer and mulch, weed your garden beds, and prune the shrubs and trees. Make sure the whole garden is generously watered.
• Keep your lawn clipped and make sure your driveway and paths are swept (including the footpath outside your home).
• Thoroughly clean the outside of the house, including its guttering and windows. A house washing service is a great investment.
• Clean up your garage and garden shed (if this is impossible, keep it safely locked!).

Next month we will look at how you can prepare the inside of your home for sale. Of course, if you have any immediate questions. Please talk to your local Starr Partners office. They will be glad to offer advice even if you are not thinking of selling immediately. Good preparation can begin months prior to the date your property goes on the market.