73 quick and easy fix-ups to sell your home faster and for more money

73 Quick & Easy Fix Ups To Sell Your Home Fast & For More Money

Our promise to you Since 1988 we have strived to provide the very best real estate service in Sydney to the many property buyers, sellers, investors and tenants who call on us for help and advice each week.

This booklet and the advice it contains is part of that promise. We hope you enjoy the content and profit from the experience.

Remember, our offices are open 7 days a week to help you with any real estate matter so be sure to call us if you think we can help.

You’ll find contact details for your nearest Prudential Real Estate office on the back page of this booklet.

73 Quick & Easy Fix-Ups To Sell Your Home Faster & For More Money One of the oldest sayings in real estate is, “You’ll never get a second chance to make a first impression” And that’s the purpose of this SPECIAL REPORT. As any real estate professional will tell you a well-cared for home, a home that looks bright, clean and fresh will not only sell faster but it will usually sell for more money than it’s competition.

Additionally, buyers feel more comfortable with a well-cared for home.

They reason that if what they can see appears in good order then what they can’t see is probably also in good order.

All this adds to the positive impression your home leaves with buyers.

And it’s not hard to add a few extra thousand dollars to your eventual sale price – simply begin with the checklist included with this report.

But first a word of warning. All the tips that follow are inexpensive – most cost nothing other than your time and a little elbow grease. And there’s a good reason for this – you don’t need to undertake major renovations to add extra value to your property. So, if you’re thinking of selling, now is not the time to replace your old kitchen or completely re-tile the bathroom. Stick to these 73 easy fix-ups and you’ll be pleasantly surprised.

Your Exterior Checklist 1. Walk up to your own house and take a critical look. What would a buyer see ? What would they think ?

Would the outside appearance of your house excite a buyer ? If not, ask yourself now, while you're standing out the front, what can you do to improve the "kerb appeal" of your property.

Take a note of everything you come up with so that you can start a list of things to do.

2. First thing - Mow the grass, rake the leaves and weed the garden beds. Then have trees and bushes trimmed, cut back excess overgrowth, edge the driveways to give your home that manicured look, replace dead plants and trees and finally fertilise the lawn.

6. Repair and replace loose / broken roof tiles.

7. Get a pest inspection. It's best to find out now, before the first buyer comes along, whether you have a termite or pest problem. If a buyer finds out before you it may cost you a sale or a large reduction in the negotiated sale price.

8. Add some colourful annuals in pots near the front door.

9. Keep your garage door closed and cars off the drive.

10. Check for cracks, leaks and signs of dampness around the foundations and in the walls.

3. Paint or wash the exterior (including window casings, shutters and doors) - check for peeling paint.

11. Repair / replace cracked or broken windowpanes, mouldings and other woodwork.

4. Check/clean out gutters and chimneys.

12. Fill “empty holes� in the garden with new plants.

5. Check the foundation, underhouse brick piers, steps, walkways, walls and patios for cracking and crumbling.

13. Remove grease and oil spots from driveway. Good products for this purpose are now available from auto stores, Big W etc.

Your Exterior Checklist 14. Replace missing/damaged palings, stakes, posts or panels in the fencing.

21. Clean up the outdoor BBQ – it doesn’t have to work, just look good.

15. Check that gates swing freely and without squeaking.

22. Repair and replace damaged or bent flyscreens.

16. Make sure garage doors open freely and without squeaking – check for operation of automatic door opener.

23. Cut back plants and shrubs that may restrict natural light in windows.

17. Replace worn / damaged items such as letterboxes and doorbells.

18. Add a doormat to the front door that says "WELCOME" 19. Put clean, uncluttered outdoor furniture on the patio or BBQ area – preferably a setting that is a little too small for the space allowed - this will make the patio appear larger.

20. Put all the gardening equipment away neatly in the garden shed or garage – not left in the back yard.

24. If you have an outdoor sprinkler system, test and make sure it is in working order.

25. Make sure you have an easy to read house number on the home or on the letterbox.

26. Clean the pool – super chlorinate, add algaecide and vacuum thoroughly .

27. Wash windows inside and out.

Your Interior Checklist 28. Take a notebook and walk around the inside of your home inspect every room and look in every cupboard. Ask yourself how a buyer might view the interior of your home.

If you see anything that might not excite a buyer, write it down and start a list of things to do.

29. Paint high traffic areas, dingy, soiled or strongly coloured walls in an off-white or neutral tone – this will clean as well as brighten the appearance of your walls.

30. Wash walls where paint is inappropriate (wallpaper, panelling, etc) 31. Wash all floors and tiles, shampoo all carpets (whether they need it or not) 32. Get rid of clutter. The fewer items in a room the bigger the room will look. Many home sellers hire a storage unit (from someone like Kennards or Millers) to store all their excess belongings during the time their property is on the market.

Remember, a purchaser won’t consider buying a house they can’t see.

33. Replace / clean air filters in air conditioning or exhaust fans.

34. Get on to those leaking taps and showerheads - tighten up the plumbing or change the washers.

35. Clean under the sinks – look for leaks while you're there.

36. Open the windows and a use a strong deodoriser to get rid of cigarette and pet odours. If you are a pet owner you may not notice the smell but most buyers will notice and they won't come back if the home smells.

37. Place scented potpourri around the house.

38. Re-grout tiles where they have cracked and fallen out. This is quite an easy job - ask your local hardware man for a grout filler kit.

39. Remove items not used very often from kitchen cupboards, linen cupboards, garden sheds or other storage areas – and store them off site – maybe have a garage sale – either way, you’re going to be moving so why not start moving some stuff early ?

Your Interior Checklist (cont.)

40. Repair cracks and holes in gyprock, wallpaper, tiles, etc.

48. Polish doorhandles and door knockers.

41. Inspect and repair the plumbing, air conditioning and alarm systems.

49. Keep stairways tidy and secure handrails.

42. Buy showy new towels and matching soap for the bathroom – bring them out only when a buyer is inspecting (otherwise the kids will make a mess of them before a buyer has a chance to admire your bathroom)

50. Make sure all blinds and window furnishings look good and work as designed.

43. Spruce up the kitchen by buying new knobs, installing new curtains or applying a coat of paint – then keep bench tops cleared at all times when a buyer comes around.

44. Replace burnt out light bulbs – increase the wattage on all light bulbs – remember bright light can make a small space appear bigger.

45. Clean out the fireplace combustion stove.

or

46. Ease all doors so that they open and close properly and without squeaking.

47. Keep children's toys in storage boxes located in one room rather than all over the floor.

51. Re-arrange your furniture to give the home the appearance of space.

52. Re-stick or remove peeling wallpaper.

53. Consider installing a few shelves in the garage to store items off the ground.

54. Be sure all light switches, lamps and fixtures are in working order.

55. Be certain that toilets flush correctly and are not too noisy – if so consider replacing the cistern with a newer model.

56. Vacuum out/clean air conditioner and exhaust fan ducts.

57. Check detectors.

batteries

in

smoke

58. Look at your teenagers rooms – remove potentially offensive posters / signs and then repair the walls if removal causes damage.

59. Remove all items you would like to keep and that may be considered inclusions. Remember, whatever the buyer sees he or she will consider it included with the sale. So if you want to take something with you when you leave put it out of sight now, before the first buyer turns up to look at your property.

Your After-Listing Checklist 60. The smell of freshly baked bread adds a genuine "homely" feel to your property when a buyer inspects.

These days you can get par-baked bread rolls from the supermarket that heat up in 5 minutes and smell wonderful.

Other quick bake goodies that add a great aroma to your home prior to a buyer inspection are such things as cinnamon rolls. Try and avoid the overuse of spray room deodorisers as most buyers think this smell is masking something unpleasant rather than simply brightening up a room.

61. For busy couples who both work, hiring a professional cleaning service that comes in weekly while the property is on the market, may be a good idea.

62. Open all curtains and blinds before a buyer inspection.

63. Get rid of the pets – put them in a cage or take them for a walk - but be sure they remain out of sight as they can be an enormous distraction to the buyer.

64. Do not leave dirty dishes in the sink.

65. Do not leave laundry in the washer / dryer.

66. Put on soft music – classical is best, but keep it low.

67. Set the dining room table as if for a meal - there's nothing as welcoming as seeing a dining table set for guests.

68. Make up the spare bed - and keep it made up.

69. Buy a display of good quality silk flowers for display in your kitchen and keep them dusted.

70. Keep all the beds made and rooms tidy. This will be a chore if you have kids but enlist their help whilst the property is on the market and train them to put things away after they use them – really !

71. Buy one of those dust cloths that actually pick up dust as you wipe and take 5 minutes at the beginning of each day to run over some of the dust-attracting surfaces in the house.

72. Be sure mirrors are sparkling at all times – even buyers look at themselves as they walk past so be sure they see a clear image of themselves and not a bunch of smudges.

73.

Put valuables away.

It is actually rarer than being hit by lightning but there's no need to tempt fate. Put all your jewellery and valuables away out of sight long before the first buyer inspects your property.

Conclusion...

Hopefully the information on the previous few pages has been useful to you. If you would like to take the next step with the sale of your home please feel free to contact us at any time.

process we welcome your enquiry 7 days a week.

Simply call any Prudential Real Estate office (you’ll find our contact details on the back page of this booklet.

In addition, if you have any questions concerning the selling or buying

We would love to help you.

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PLEASE NOTE : 1. Recipients of this report are reminded that, although due care has been taken in the preparation of the within contained material, prospective property buyers, sellers and investors are always best served by making their own independent inquiries before entering into any real estate transaction.

2. This report has been prepared for the sole and exclusive use of Prudential Real Estate clients and customers. The whole of the contents and design are protected by copyright.

COPYRIGHT Š Michael O’Sullivan 2001-2011