Top tips for getting your home ready for sale

For most people their home is their greatest asset and when the time comes to consider selling, they will need to maximise the profit they can make from the sale. Whilst the real estate market in Australia and particularly in Queensland, has gone crazy over the last 18 months, it's important to remember that you can only sell your property once and by following a few very easy tips you can ensure that the end result is what you had hoped for.

It would be easy to assume in this current market that just owning a home on the Gold Coast or Brisbane guarantees you a maximum return from a sale, but that might also be a little naïve. There is no doubt that in a booming market that you may have to do less to your house to get it ready for sale, you will still have to make sure you at least do a few of these top tips for getting your home ready for sale.

In this booming market you must remember that while there will be plenty of interest in your home from purchasers, there is also going to be plenty of homeowners trying to cash in on these crazy times. This means that there will be competition for your buyers and whatever you can do to convince them to buy your home is a bonus.

Find the right agent

This is first for a reason! Finding the right agent is essential to maximise the return on the sale of your property. The real estate industry sometimes gets a bad rap and mostly around people dealing with bad agents, spend some time and research the agents in the area. It could be a make or break for your sale.

• Stay Local – it’s best to find an agent in your local area or one that is experienced in your area. They will know the market and what is on the market at that time, they may also have a list of prospective buyers just waiting to buy your home.
• Interview – spend the time to interview a few agents so that you can see what they have to offer, this shouldn’t be first in best dressed.
• Go to inspections – see how the agents work firsthand by visiting some open homes, you will also get an eye into their follow up as well.

The team at QC Law deal with many agents and have seen what it takes to be a great agent. Speak to the team at QC Law for any advice on the best agent to help sell your home.

Take the emotion out

It’s important when preparing to sell your home that you take all the emotion out of the process and use your head. You need to be completely objective and look at your home through a "buyers" eye. As homeowners, we all become very attached to our home and love to tinker and customize it to our tastes. Sometimes your vision can work wonders but occasionally your vision may not be in the best interest of selling your property. Stand back and take an objective look at your property and make the changes that will help to maximise your profits, and take advice from your agent.

Paint

A little bit of paint goes a long way. This statement is never truer than when you are prepping to sell your house. Whether it is a repaint or a full-blown change of colour palette, the paint is the first thing that any buyer will look at when they see your home so a fresh look will help considerably.

Clean and declutter

Don't assume that all buyers are looking at is just the bones of your house. Whilst the layout of your house is a major factor, it's how you present your home that will really get the buyer's imaginations going. Giving your house a deep clean will ensure that it is presented at its best for interested buyers, this is a good chance to get to the places you tend to gloss over during your regular cleaning routine.

Take some time to declutter the rooms in the house, there is nothing worse than walking into a room and feeling claustrophobic. Too much furniture is never a good thing, again this is a great time to rehome some of the extra pieces you have through a garage sale or online sales.

Spend some time in the garden and get that looking its best, a few hours in the garden could make all the difference. It’s important to remember that not all prospective buyers have an eye for DIY or hard labour, so take one negative out and pull a few weeds, or even have your home “staged”.

Staging

You might be in love with the furniture and décor in your home, but it might not be to everyone's taste some buyers won't be able to see past the superficial, this is where staging your home for sale is extremely important. A good agent will be able to help you with this and there are now many companies that plan and stage houses for sale. This is a great idea if you need to modernise the look of your home quickly, and much cheaper than buying new furniture

Finish those projects

It’s easy to get lazy around the house and start projects and not finish them. Homebuyers don't want to inherit unfinished projects so take a walk around your home and start finishing those projects.

The best way to ensure that you get top dollar for your home is to present it at its best. By following these six simple tips you will go a long way to making the sale of your home as stress-free as it can be. Whilst the team at QC Law are experts in all things conveyancing, they have also gained invaluable experience and knowledge in the Real Estate sector.

Feel free to contact our team at QC LAW to discuss the sale of your home on 07 5657 1928 or email [email protected]

Check out our website at www.qclaw.com.au