6 cost-effective tips for selling success
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Regardless of whether you're selling in a hot or cool market, it can be difficult to get a competitive edge over other listings.
Presentation is everything when it comes to selling, but that doesn't mean having to undertake major renovations to bring your property up to its immaculate best.
Here are six ways you can maximise your sale potential without spending a heap of money or time.
1. Make sure your home is spotless
Cleaning is one of the simplest and most effective things a seller can do to prepare their home, yet it's often overlooked.
"I think people at times forget how important a clean property is," Shiv Nair of Ray White TNG explained.
"Regardless of how old a property is, if it's clean it makes the world of difference."
Having professionals do a top-to-bottom clean of your home, including washing windows and deep cleaning carpets, shows the property has been well cared for and will help to present it in its best possible light.
2. Painting the walls can have a huge impact
When it comes to bang-for-buck improvements, there are few more powerful things a homeowner can do than to give a property a fresh lick of paint.
"Repainting the internal areas of the property is so important," Mr Nair said.
"It gives it a whole fresh feel. You could have a renovated home, but if the paint is old it changes the whole feel of the home. Painting is one of the most important things."
Whether you do it yourself or hire professionals for the job, the cost of the exercise will be far outweighed by the benefits when buyers see your dazzling home looking pristine and new.
It's usually best to keep things simple and avoid overly bold or unique colours, as you want to appeal to the broadest range of buyers possible.
3. Decluttering is essential
Your home can be clean and freshly painted, but if it's overly busy with furniture, ornaments, books, photos and other personal possessions, it won't allow them to picture their own belongings in the space.
Having a cluttered home will also diminish the air of spaciousness you want to be giving them. Wide-open rooms with carefully placed essentials will give a far better impression than a chaotic home filled to the brim with a stranger's things.
Clearing out as much as you can—everything from large furniture to items in cupboards and drawers—will go a long way to ensuring your home is presented in its best light.
Renting some temporary storage space can be a great help here. After the process is done, you might find you could live without a lot of that stuff anyway!
4. Home staging helps attract all kinds of buyers
Having a professional home stylist come in and refurnish your property with rented furniture and artwork has become more and more common, to the point that it's considered essential by many agents to keep the listing competitive.
Why is it such a popular path for sellers to take? Because it can make a huge difference to your sale price.
Max Klimenko of Ray White Touma Group explains, “we always say you get 10 times return on your investment [with home staging].”
"If it's costing you $4,000 on styling, you should be getting $40,000 in return, because that creates competition."
Biggin & Scott Buxton's Tristan Tomasino agrees, saying "It's absolutely crucial.
"It could mean the difference between getting $20k above your reserve, or getting those extra two or three buyers that love your home that maybe wouldn't have looked at it if it wasn't styled, and next thing you know you've got 200k above your reserve."
For more on home staging, check out our expert guide to property styling.
5. Good photography is key for marketing
Once your property is cleaned, tidied and styled, it's time to capture it looking its very best.
In a crowded marketplace, where buyers are scrolling through a stack of properties each day and you only have a few seconds to catch their attention, first impressions are everything.
Having top-quality photos to help your listing stand out is absolutely key to drawing buyers in and getting big numbers at your open inspections.
It's likely your agent will have a go-to photographer for their listings, but make sure they're experienced and you like the look of their past work.
For plenty more tips and info on how to find the right photographer and what it might cost, take a look at our guide.
6. Don't forget the exterior
With so many touch-ups and tweaks you can do inside the home, it's easy to neglect the exterior.
Mr Nair explained that addressing the outside of your property can be just as key as dealing with the interior, though.
"It's the first impression when buyers drive up to the property—you've got a beautiful lawn and manicured garden, clean driveways. Simple things like that, it's about making sure it looks sharp and presentable."
Investing in some landscaping can go a long way, but even cleaning paths and decks with a high-pressure hose, mowing the lawn and weeding the garden, and pruning unruly shrubs and trees will ensure buyers fall in love before they're even through the front door.
