After being in the real estate industry for so many years, I can’t emphasize how a properly presented home can get my sellers an offer faster and a higher selling price than one which is poorly maintained or presented. As Will Rogers said, you never get a second chance to make a first impression.
To make the most out of a good first impression, a few dollars invested to spruce up the place could end up giving a few thousand dollars more in returns for the seller. It is always good to set aside a small budget to make some home improvements to the unit. The difference to the buyer it’s like flying in economy class versus business class.
1. Paint it like Picasso!
You’ll be surprised by how a good paint job will lift the value of the property. A well painted house can easily add thousands of dollars of perceived value to your property.
The walls are the largest part of the property and a quick paint job will help cover up all the wear and tear it has endured over the years and make it look as good as new. When repainting, go for a neutral tone which appeals to the greatest number of people, making your home more desirable. This is easily the most cost-effective way to create a good first impression for any potential buyers.
2. Repair Minor Damages
We are naturally wired to look for flaws instead of plus points when assessing a property. Thus, fixing such issues would make your property stand out over others. These would include damages to tiles, cracks on wall, moldy air-con piping, or water marks. If the house has any defects which can be solved with a quick repair, it would be well worth the effort to get a contractor in.
3. Declutter like Mari Condo
The most cost effective (free) way to increase the attractiveness of your home is to de-clutter. Dispose of items which you have not used in 6 months or have been collecting dust. This also applies to large furniture. If you have an old table, or sofa just lying around, you can check out our guide to disposing of bulky furniture for free! Anything which you won’t take you with you to your next home should and can be removed.
An additional benefit is that removing clutter has the added benefit of making the room look and feel larger, which in turn, would give the impression of a bigger space. New home sizes are getting smaller and every bit of space counts especially if you are a resale unit!
4. Nothings says bright like new bulbs!
Bad lighting makes a house looks dark and cold and nobody wants to return home to a bat cave. We all want somewhere warm, inviting, and cosy to return to. To put your property in it’s best light and change it up for white light. White light helps open up the place making it look much more inviting and spacious (do you see a common theme?). This can include adding some strip lighting under your cabinet / kitchen area to make it look well lit, or just changing your yellow like to a brighter white light.
5. Staging your property
If you would like to spruce up the place, and change it out such that it looks like the show flat, you might want to consider staging your unit. This would effectively convert your unit into a show unit allowing you to bringing out the unit in its fullest potential.
This option can be quite costly due depending on the type of furniture being used and the staging company which you engage. Another cheaper alternative would be to stage up certain parts of the house; for example the kitchen living room, or a single bedroom. This would give potential buyers enough idea of how the rooms could look like with all the furniture in and at same time balancing cost on your side.
Conclusion
Over the years, I’ve seen my fair share of houses which are immaculately maintained and those which require a significant amount of elbow grease to get it anywhere near a livable condition. Two houses, one beside the other, can easily command a price difference of tens of thousands. So if you want your property to command the highest price here are 10 exclusive tips which I share with my sellers!