Some simple interior design tricks can help you attract buyers to your property – and make the difference between an average sale price and an impressive one.
While professional stylists can come in with rental furniture and artworks to help transform your home into designer living space, there are still things you can do yourself to make a big difference to the presentation of your property at inspection time.
1. Street appeal matters
Before potential buyers even make an inspection time, they drive past your house. By doing what you can to maximise its street appeal, you’re doing yourself a huge favour. It doesn’t have to cost the earth either. While some professional garden maintenance, such as pruning and removal of any potentially dangerous trees, makes a big difference, little things such as lining up the rubbish bins and tucking them down the side of the house, sweeping up old leaves, straightening that wonky letterbox and cleaning up the driveway oil spill will make things look much better.
2. Make people feel welcome
Your front porch might only be small but make sure it is clean. If there is an outdoor light, make sure it has a fresh globe, and that cobwebs are swept away. Hose down the floor area and consider placing some attractive potted plants – just make sure you don’t crowd the entrance.
A clean new doormat can make a big difference, as well as a fresh coat of paint on that weathered front door.
3. Clean it until it shines
Bench-tops, floors, bathroom basins and windows should gleam at inspection time to help convince potential buyers that this home is the one for them. Dusting, vacuuming, mopping and polishing are critical and if you don’t think you have the time or energy, invest in a professional to help make an extra special impact.
4. De-clutter
Serious sellers should realise that it is all about creating space that helps potential buyers feel like there is room to move.
While you might treasure that collection of old teddy bears on your bed, or those cuckoo clocks fastened to every available wall, they will be a definite turn-off to would-be property investors and home-owners.
If your style is particularly unique, consider toning it down a little to help create the ‘every person’ feel that will help buyers imagine their own lives in your space.
5. Style your kitchen
They say it’s the heart of a home, so making it appear fresh, inviting and friendly is an important thing.
A bowl of fresh green apples on the clean counter, the smell of baking biscuits wafting from the oven and a neatly aligned clean tea-towel that matches those apples, perhaps, can lift your kitchen from average to appealing. And it doesn’t need to blow your budget.
6. Move your furniture.
Symmetrical placement of furniture helps add the illusion of more space. Make sure furniture is not pushed right up against the walls and pare back cluttery items, such as foot stools, beanbags and side tables to help add more room to move around the room easily at inspection time.
If it all seems too much to add to you ‘to do’ list, shop around for a professional stylist who can sweep in and do it all for you. If the property you are selling is empty, it is a good opportunity to make a small investment in hiring quality designer furniture in a couple of key rooms. The lounge/dining/kitchen and the main bedroom are the most impactful areas to focus on if your budget does not stretch to the whole property.
If you need advice for a home loan, business or commercial loan, self-managed super fund loan, or a vehicle or equipment finance loan, speak to a broker at Lending Specialists. We have a wealth of experience under our belt and a robust network to connect you to the right industry professional for the loan you need.
