When it comes to selling your home, whether you’ve lived there for 5 years or 25, it can be tricky to know where to even start. Breaking the to-do list down into a few straightforward tasks can help ease the stress and increase your chances of achieving buyer appeal. Being able to take a step back and look at your property with fresh eyes, as if you were the potential client, can really make for a successful sale.

The Touch Ups

First things first, the key is to scan your home for anything that needs fixing. Had a light switch blown that you haven’t got around to replacing yet? Maybe you dropped something in the kitchen when rushing to cook dinner and a tile has cracked. Whatever the fault, making a list of things that need a little TLC is one of the best ways to get buyers to see the value in your home. But it’s not all about the interior details - scan your outdoor area. When buyers come for viewings, the first thing they see is obviously going to be how the property looks from the outside. Giving the lawns a mow, pulling out those pesky weeds and tidying up garden areas are going to make all the difference when it comes to first impressions.

Staging And Styling

Maybe you have great grandma’s old cabinet in the foyer of your home, you know - the one that’s not the flashest piece of furniture you own but it’s sentimental so you kept it there anyway. Swap it out for something that fits the theme and style of the house better so you don’t have viewers getting distracted by it. One of the easiest ways to get your house market ready is to imagine it as a showroom. When you keep it smart and simple on the decorating front, your home's best qualities are really going to shine. If you’re lost with where to start, there are plenty of Southland home stylists available to help get your home sale ready.

Out With The Clutter

When buyers walk into a property, they want to be able to visualise it as their own. This means getting rid of the extensive collection of family photos, putting extra bits and bobs into storage and making sure each room looks as clear of clutter as possible. Less is more - so aim to minimise the amount of “stuff’’ in the space and keep it simple. If you’ve got too much shoved into a room, there’s no chance of viewers being able to picture it as their own family home. We’re not suggesting you wipe the place of any evidence you were ever there, but reducing the items by half is a good rule to stick by.

Finishing Touches

Try placing a few scented candles around the place - smell is one of the strongest senses and can create a relaxing environment for when potential buyers walk through. Putting some fresh flowers in a vase in the main living areas can also work a treat. Always remember, attention to detail never goes amiss.