Selling Tips: First Impressions are Everything!

If you’re a buyer looking at available properties, you’ll know just how important that first impression is.  Likewise, if you’re attending a job interview, you should always put your best foot forward, presenting yourself professionally and conveying your capability as a candidate.  Selling your home is no different, and when buyers check out your property, they want to see it in its best possible light.

As we tell our sellers here at Ray White Bayside real estate, you don’t have to spend a fortune to really make your property shine for sale, as you’ll see from these hot tips:

• Tip 1 – Spring clean and de-clutter:  As buyers, we’ve all been there. The property inspection where there is clutter everywhere. If only we could see the potential of the home by looking through the mess and that really out-there tacky Elvis Presley wall hanging!  Sometimes it’s just impossible to visualise how great a property can be, because all of that stuff just makes us want to get out of there!  As a seller, be sure to spring clean and get rid of all of that stuff you’ve been procrastinating about.  The abundance of Buy, Swap and Sell pages on Facebook makes it easier than ever to offload all that unwanted stuff.  For everything else, there’s always the tip, which is free here in Darwin for residents!  After this, make sure you clear benchtops, keeping all of those appliances out of sight, out of mind.De-cluttering also helps make a space appear more spacious.
• Tip 2 –Tidy the entrance of your home:  Clean your front door and ensure the entrance is inviting.  You need to make sure people want to come in and explore, so make the entrance to your home really shine.  Props to help here include a welcome mat, pot plants and even a tasteful piece of artwork or a mirror.
• Tip 3 – Prepare your dining area as though you are expecting visitors:  Set the table, displaying your best dinner set and ensure the table cloth is ironed.  Fresh flowers are also a nice touch, as is background music to create the ambience of entertaining.
• Tip 4 – Make your place smell great:  Fragrant candles and de-fusers are great for this, so choose an aroma that is universally pleasant to help create an experience for would-be buyers that’s memorable for all the right reasons.
• Tip 5 – Matching linen for the bedrooms and bathrooms:  To jazz up the appearance of your bedrooms and bathrooms, opt for matching towels, bathmats, pillow cases and bedding.  Again, make sure all of the clutter is out of sight, out of mind, and decorate with tasteful artwork and decor. 
• Tip 6 – Ensure the outdoor areas are neat and tidy:  For your gardens and outdoor entertaining areas, be sure to take the time to really clean-up, pruning back those bushes, ensuring the grass is cut and getting rid of backyard clutter such as old tools, broken toys and rubbish.  A few runs to the tip are all you might need, or if you require a little more help, enlist the assistance of a local garden maintenance business to help you.

Of course, it’s easier to do this if you are living in the property you are selling! If you have a tenant, it can be harder to encourage your tenants to comply with your plans for selling, particularly if they aren’t happy with that.  Property Managers can assist you in motivating tenants to help out with the sale of your property.

For those of you selling a property that is vacant, it can be slightly easier, although some research has indicated that furnishing the home for sale can enhance results.  You can talk to one of our team members here about options available for you if you wish to pursue that course of action.

So there you have it!  A few really useful tips to help you ensure your property wins would-be buyers over the first time!