The Edinburgh Realty eNewsletter

Issue #126 | October 2023

Archive

Prepare your property for sale success

You’ve prepared yourself for the exciting yet challenging endeavour of selling your home. Now it’s time to prepare your home! Make the best possible impression on potential buyers with these essential steps for preparing your property for a successful sale.

  1. Clear out the clutter. Keep only what you need for now. Everything else, you can sell, donate, throw out or store elsewhere. Declutter cupboards too, so buyers can easily see the storage possibilities. Your whole home will appear more spacious and appealing.

  2. Do a deep clean. Now the clutter is gone, you can get every surface spick and span. Consider calling in professional cleaners for this important job, at least for the carpets. It can make a huge difference. Then you only need to whip around for a quick surface clean before an open home.

  3. Create a blank canvas. To help buyers picture themselves living in your home, you need to take your own personality out of it. Remove photos and personal belongings, paint over bold colours and old, dated wallpapers, and consider professional staging. Visit open homes in the area to get a feel for what works well from a buyer’s perspective.

  4. Impress at first sight. Street appeal is crucial for a great first impression. Your gate, driveway, garage, garden, fences, paths, letterbox, lawns, and even the door mat should be tidy, clean and inviting. Wash the house exterior and windows, think about throwing a coat of paint on the door and a welcoming pot plant at the entrance.

  5. Tick off your fixes. It’s now or never for that list of jobs you’ve been meaning to do around the home. Have your consent and compliance documentation handy, for any major changes already completed on your property, and get onto those indoor repairs and touch-ups - dripping taps, cracked windows, holes in the walls, tired paint, sad light bulbs, squeaky doors. Outside, fix fences, leaky, blocked or broken drains and spouting, and slumping retaining walls. Your agent can help you prioritise tasks, if your list is long and time or budget short.

  6. Let your tenants know. You must inform your tenants in writing at the beginning of the selling process, so everyone is aware of their rights and responsibilities. You and your real estate agent will need permission from tenants to access the property for photography, cleaning, repairs and open homes, etc. Visit tenancy services for more information on selling a tenanted house. https://www.tenancy.govt.nz/ending-a-tenancy/change-of-landlord-or-tenant/sale-of-a-house/