Most buyers know what they want and are willing to walk through a lot of homes to find ‘IT’.

There are numerous ideas put that sparkle and shine into your home and the first thing you need is a critical eye. A buyer’s eye. Don’t go through each room remembering all the good times, run your eye over it as if you are seeing it for the first time, asking questions like:

Should changes be made? If the answer is YES! Changes need to be made, then the next question probably is: Do we spend more to try and sell for more?

You are much better to do as much as you can without too much extra spending. Overspending can mean you might not get the true value for your dollar.

MAINTENANCE:
The Yard:
Clean out the debris, broken toys, fences, stashed ‘one day’ piles. It all has to go, anyway. It will make moving day so much faster.

The Gardens:
Weeding, mulching, edging, pruning and fertilising, all do wonders. A garden face-lift is worth it, especially at the front where the first impressions are made.

The Exterior of the House:
A high-pressure water cleaner and some elbow grease will take years of environmental ageing off the outside of your house. Use your high pressure cleaner on pathways, steps, walls and then see if any repairs need to be done ie cracked window fixed, broken tap, or window sill or step. Invest in a can of matching paint to freshen up any tired looking areas.

The Interior:
Fix anything that is broken. Get out the moving boxes and garbage bags and pack and toss. Cull the clutter and store the stuff packed ready for moving, preferably at a relative’s home. Leave in the home only what you need for about six months. Unless absolutely necessary, don’t repaint. Just touch up scratched or worn traffic areas.

QUESTIONS TO ASK:
Is there enough natural light? Removing heavy drapes could change that.

Does the home flow? If you have an old home that is half-renovated with a mixture of modern and old rooms, use the inspiration found in décor magazines to create a flow with strategic use of interesting old and new pieces of furniture and artefacts. Old bric-a-brac shops have very useful objet d-art.