With the property market stirring back into life, many people are contemplating the sale of their residence to upgrade, downsize or move to another location, depending on their life circumstances. Everyone wants to get the best price the market will pay for their property as it gives them extra funds for the next part of their journey. What many people don’t realise is that a property that is presented poorly will attract far fewer inspections and even less offers. The price will also be adversely affected, with buyers looking, not at the best features, but at how much work they will need to do to get the property looking its best.
It’s not difficult the get any real estate in Liverpool ready for sale as long as the owners realise that what they are selling is space, and to create that illusion, they need to de-clutter. Purchasers need to imagine their furniture in this home, and they can’t do that if it is jammed full of nick-nacks, excess furniture items, family photographs, rugs and general mess.
Put all but the large furniture items in storage e.g. a dining room just needs a table and chairs. Do not use a spare room as a storage area, as the people inspecting the property will have difficulty visualising it as a third or fourth bedroom. Clean out the carport or garage so it’s as tidy as the house.
Some of the rooms will need painting, either the whole room or one wall or perhaps the doors or the window trims. Very dark walls should be lightened with a neutral colour. Buyers prefer conservative colours so they can imagine their own possessions in the space.
Clean everything, including light fittings, curtain rods, light switches, door handles, walls, windows and floors. Carpet should be cleaned, curtains washed or dry cleaned, furniture polished, tap fittings rubbed until they shine. Even the humble kitchen sink, usually made of stainless steel will sparkle after a once-over. Grout is notorious for becoming discoloured and should be either cleaned or removed and redone.
Make sure the exterior and yard of the property gets the same treatment. Do a dump run and remove rubbish, old tree branches, etc. Hire a water blaster to remove dirt and oil from paths and driveways, and get someone in to clean and paint the roof. Wash down the exterior walls to remove dirt and cobwebs, weed and tidy garden beds and keep the lawn mowed.
When your Liverpool real estate agent has inspection days, remove all trace of pets and pet smells, turn on all interior lights and bake a cake or biscuits just beforehand to leave the delicious smell around, without the mess of course. Never leave a bed unmade, and clean the toilet and bathroom, especially the shower.
This may seem like a lot of work, and it could be worth having a specialist presentation company do it for you. The cost will be worth it as good presentation can add thousands of dollars to the sale price, and make buyers easier to find.
