How to Present a Home to Impress Buyers – First Eliminate

How important is presentation to the successful sale of your home?

Read the following warning…

WARNING: Leaving this vital component of the property sale process to chance conveys to the buying market that you care little for the ultimate result and do not respect buyers. You seem to be expressing a ‘take it as it is’ attitude.

Presenting your home in its absolute best light is ‘non-negotiable’ if you want the best price for your home.

It is part of the ruling triumvirate of property sales.

• Prepare and Present your home to IMPRESS buyers;
• Promote your home to REACH buyers;
• Price your home to ATTRACT buyers.

Leave one of these components swinging in the wind, and disappointment will follow.

But the pay-off when you get them ALL right is priceless.

Untidy or cluttered homes for sale make buyers suspicious that there might be something more serious wrong with the property.

This affects the interest in the home and, ultimately, the sale price.

Once the decision is made that you are going to sell your home, ‘preparing’ it to win over buyers is your priority.

As Abraham Lincoln said:

If you give me eight hours to cut down a tree, I would spend six hours sharpening the axe.

The effort to get a property ‘ buyer ready’ prepared cannot be a half-arsed undertaking.

I would like to draw this analogy;

If you decide to sell the family car, whether you are trading it through a dealer or, like many Australians, selling it privately, what is the first thing you do?

Detail it – give it the cleaning of its life.

Who will pay you anywhere near the price you are hoping for if the car is dirty, needs vacuuming, and the center console is full of fast food wrappers?

The same goes for your home.

I have had homeowners ask me to assess their homes before they are’ buyer-ready’. And that’s okay; it allowed me to offer some well-considered advice on presentation.

Then they informed me that if I had a buyer ‘up my sleeve,’ I could bring that buyer today.

My immediate response to that request was a concerned “No.”

Why will I show a buyer this home when it is not ready for sale?  It would cost the owners thousands in low offers or outright rejection from any early buyer.

Prepare and present well before you even think of showing any buyer.

Eliminate The Following

The Art of Elimination is a great place to start. Here a few ELIMINATIONS to consider, and take action on, when you make that all-important decision to sell.

Untidy gardens

Mow the lawns regularly. Mulch the gardens and remove any unsightly overgrowth. If retainer walls or garden beds need repair, sort them out —get in Charlie Albone or Jamie Drury if you have to.

Cobwebs, Mould, Wasp nests, Fingerprints, Marks inside and out

Invite your mates for a Working bee B-B-Q and ask them to bring their tools. Many hands do light work, and a fresh set of eyes is always great for eliminating those ‘buyer killers’ you don’t see. If it needs painting, do it—and keep the color as neutral as possible.

Bins, inside and out! First impressions count

DO NOT park your council bins at the entrance of the property. You do not want them to be the first and last impression a potential Buyer has of your property. Also, smelly bins under the sink, YUK – gone!

Laundry

Remove your clothing and dirty washing baskets from the clothesline. If there is nowhere to put them, try the car’s boot. Leave them there for any inspection, i.e., home viewing.

Hoses and Broken Paths are unsightly and cause potential tripping hazards.

Tip: Check that your insurance policy is current with public liability.

Clutter

Excess furniture, books, and junk are on benches and cupboards (yes, a buyer will look in there). Your buyer will want to place their furnishings in the room; the sparser, the better. Start packing—you are moving, and this gives a Buyer a clear message: ‘I’m serious about Selling.’

Smells

One of the biggest repellents for a buyer is cigarette and pet odors. (I’ve had buyers turn on their heels and walk straight out of homes with cigarette odors). Did you know the smell of brewing coffee, baked bread, or sweet treats like cookies? Be careful not to overdo the scents if you use fake ones. Choose a citrus smell.

Pets: bowls, beds, litter trays

Some people are terrified of your puppy, which may be terrified of your Buyers. Have them babysat during inspections. One of the worst buyer turn-offs is Rover’s leftover Chum in a bowl or Kitty’s stinky litter tray.

Toys

Buyers’ children will want to play with them and then throw tantrums when the fun has to stop. You want their parents to focus on your property, not their little darling throwing a tantrum.

Kitchen and Bathroom Grime

Have your hob, oven, dishwasher, and range hood gleaming like new. Some professionals take pride in these jobs and are well worth the investment.

All bathroom fittings should be glowing. Nothing turns a Buyer off quicker than seeing hair in the drains and dead skin cells caked on the shower door. The same goes for toothbrushes, razors, and the collection of empty bottles.

Green Tip: Hot water helps dissolve the soap. For a perfect presentation, call in a pro cleaner.

Personal Photos and items

The glamour shots of you and your family or costume shots (the one where you dressed up like gangsters at Movie World 10 years ago) from walls and sideboards. Potential Buyers want to visualize their personal touches and pictures, not yours.

The kids are drawing of you under a tree with a big yellow sun, magnets, sticky note reminders…, and anything stuck to the fridge.

Put your jewelry, mobile phones, etc., away from temptation. Thefts at home inspections do happen and remember you’re not present to keep a watchful eye.