HELPFUL
HOME PRESENTATION TIPS
CARPETS
Perhaps you
may find it worthwhile and not too costly to have your carpets
steam-cleaned. This can be an economical way of brightening the
appearance of your home. The difference can be amazing.
DECORATIVE
HINTS
* Place a
bowl full of fresh fruit somewhere in the kitchen, the effect
this can have might surprise you.
* Green,
leafy plants always lift an interior. Rent or borrow enough to
do the job. Also, placing vases full of fresh flowers, even if
they aren't professionally arranged will have a huge effect on
prospective buyers as they browse through your property.
* Lock
away any valuable china, books, silver collections, crystal or
any other important items.
* Leave
all connecting doors wide open, to give an impression of space.
* If the
rooms of teenagers are filled with posters and signs, perhaps it
might be best to take down those that might be considered
offensive or controversial, so as not to offend potential
buyers.
* Remove
ashtrays as they can be distracting, while non-smokers are less
likely to buy a smoker's house.
* If you
have a good stereo system, soft music playing in the background
can be pleasant and appealing. In this case, less is more.
Perhaps you should discuss with your agent the best choice of
music for the situation, it should be chosen to fit the expected
demographics of the people visiting the home-open.
* You
might like to remove some of your family photos from the home,
as people need to envisage the house being their's.
BATHROOMS
Place all
cosmetics, razors and toiletries in a drawer. Hang all towels
neatly. A hint for brightening up bathrooms that you may not
have considered is a small indoor pot-plant, perhaps even
Aloe-Vera, in a designer pot. Liquid soap dispensers come in
variety of styles and designs today, and may be another simple
way of improving the feel of any bathroom.
LIVING AREAS
Clear away
the day-to-day mess of family living, but at the same time give
a homely, lived in look. Turn off the TV, arrange any remote
controls neatly. Place homemaker magazines on the coffee table,
to give the impression that the appearance of the home has
always been a priority. It will let the potential buyers know
how much you care about the home. Another clever idea is to use
one of those simple candle oil-burners. A light lavender scent
in the air can have a huge effect on the attitudes of potential
buyers. Different scents can be used to emote different feelings
from people viewing the property. Also, turn on heating in
winter, air-conditioning in summer. People will stay to look
longer if they feel comfortable.
HALLWAYS
Keep this
area as tidy and uncluttered as possible. Remember that there
will be many more people in the house than usual. People bumping
into each other as they enter and exit may give the illusion of
lack of space.
LIGHTING
Clean all
light fittings and put in bright, 100-watt bulbs. Consider the
placement of table and standard lamps. You might like to use
them to highlight features of the home. Consider also the
natural lighting aspects of the home. Take into account the time
of day that the home open will take place. Open or shut blinds
around the home in relation to the sun's location. This can also
have the effect of providing a more comfortable temperature
within the home.
KITCHEN
* Remove
kitty litter trays and dog bowls.
* Take
pets away with you when leaving the house for the inspections.
* Unless
the child is a future Michelangelo, take the kindergarten
painting off the fridge door. Delightful as they are, they won't
help to sell the house.
* Polish
taps, and clean all chrome appliances with a streak-free
cleaner. Try to achieve a good shine, shiny items bring sparkle
to a room.
* Do not
cook curry, onions or fish the night before. If necessary, spray
the kitchen with air freshener, or an odour masking spray such
as Glen20.
* Another
emotive scent is the smell of fresh baked goods. If your house
is best marketed as a family home, the odour of freshly baked
cookies may have the effect of making the house feel very
homely. Coffee or vanilla have much the same effect.
PAINT WORK
Clean marks
off walls with a mild household detergent and a soft cloth.
Don't rub too hard, as you may damage or remove the paint. Try
to avoid painting unless the whole house is to be painted. If
you choose to paint, use soft, neutral colours such as creams or
beiges, as they will appeal to most people. Dark colours make a
room look smaller than it actually is, and light colours have
the opposite effect, opening the room up. Touch up skirting
boards, architraves and doorframes. It is surprising how much
cleaner the rooms will look if an hour is spent going round the
house with a pot of paint. If you plan to do painting near to
the time that the home is open, try to use 'low-fume' or
hypo-allergenic paints, to avoid that fresh paint odour.
REPAIRS
A few quick
repairs done before the home open will make all the difference
to giving the house a cared for appearance.
* Oil
squeaking doors.
* Planed
doors that stick.
* Re-paste
peeling wallpaper.
* Repair
dripping taps and remove water stains from tubs and basins.
* Fix
broken or loose tiles and clean dirty grouting and tiling.
* Remove
exhaust fans and clean them. Nothing looks worse than grease and
dust caked onto fans or their shrouds. All buyers instinctively
look up at ceilings.
OUTSIDE
* Trim
lawns, including nature strips. Edge flowerbeds and trim shrubs
and plants. Clean flower pots and keep the yard generally tidy.
* Pick
up papers and rubbish in the street, to give the impression
of a tidy neighbourhood.
*
Don't leave junk mail in the letterbox.
*
Sweep and hose down cobbled or paved driveways, patios and
paths.
* Use
degreaser to remove any oil stains from driveways, garages
or carports.
* Tidy
garage by simply stacking up tools and equipment neatly.
* Be
liability conscious and do not leave anything around that
people viewing the property might knock into and trip over.
No matter how interested someone is in the house, they will
be less interested if they sprain an ankle by stepping on a
rake, or tripping over a hose.
*
Outdoor furniture gives a feeling of leisure to a property.
If you don't have any, try and borrow some, and arrange it
attractively.
* Keep
the swimming pool sparkling and tuck away any cleaning
equipment.
* Make
sure garden gates open easily and quietly.
*
Don't leave clothes on the line.
* Make
sure the barbecue is clean.
* Wash
down outside walls.
*
Clean all outside blinds and awnings.
*
Clear the gutters.
*
Clean all the windows.
* Make
sure the doorbell works, and the welcome mat is clean and
tidy.
If
possible, it is best if the owners leave before the home
open. Very few prospective buyers can relax with an owner
standing around looking expectantly hopeful.
The house
should be presented as attractively as possible. If all of
the above cannot be done, do as many as money, time and
energy will allow. That way you can walk out the door in the
knowledge that you have done everything you can.
Should
you require any assistance with repairs etc, please contact
us. We can provide you with a short list of reliable and
reasonably priced tradesman who should be able to help.
