Style.
How to effectively present your property for sale
Space – a big selling point.
Emotion is everything.
Creating the right atmosphere.
The art of illusion and creating space within your home
Simple ways of creating the perfect atmosphere and leaving a lasting impression
Tips to help create increased competition among buyers
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Effectively presenting your property for sale is the key to gaining the maximum price when it comes to competing with similar properties in the market place. It all comes down to presentation.
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Presentation is the key. Tip #1
The entrance. Create a ‘wow’ factor entrance and decorate the front garden with pot plants and garden furniture. Loan or borrow additional furniture if required.
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Tip #2
Tip #3
The garden.
Cobwebs and dust.
Weed and mulch the garden beds and consider adding a splash of colour to garden beds and any pot plants. Also prune trees or shrubs close to the property to help with natural light.
Remove cobwebs and dust from inside and outside the house.
Tip #4
Interior furniture. Less is best. Store excess furniture to ensure rooms appear as spacious as possible.
Tip #5
Tip #7
Inside the house.
Remove clutter.
Repair and paint where necessary, clean walls, floors and windows, steam clean carpets and make some running repair to items such as dripping taps, sticking doors and drawers - this is the sort of thing that prospective buyers will notice.
Remove all unnecessary articles from cupboards prospective clients will look inside cupboards.
Tip #6
General tidy up. Remove rubbish from the exterior of the house, ensure pool is pristine and fences are in order. Also think about removing any items that might look uninviting.
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Space - a big selling point.
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The art of illusion and creating space within a home is a huge selling point and some simple tips that can help your home appear spacious and open include: • Storing some furniture off the property to open up rooms and hallways. • To accentuate the feeling of spaciousness open curtains and blinds to let in natural light. • On the outside, trim or prune trees and shrubs which shade windows and block out important natural light.
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First impressions will last.
“ Simply take a step back and imagine seeing your home for the first time.�
First impressions often stick with a buyer and you need to take an objective look at your property. Many buyers will view your property from the street or when driving by. Also they will be using the front door, when you might always use the back entrance to your home. Change your perspective when it comes to the first impressions of your home and seriously consider the practical opinions of those you value (including your real estate agent, family and friends or a professional decorator). Simply take a step back and imagine seeing your home for the first time. You will notice things that you might not have otherwise; a fence that needs painting, overgrown garden beds or a broken window. First impressions are everything and some prospective buyers may lose interest in your property for reasons you may not have even noticed.
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“ Should I spend money to maximise my selling price?�
We advise clients not to spend too much on renovating their homes prior to selling. However, some additions and improvements are well worth the spend. Major works might not be in your budget but minor changes to the garden landscape or replacing an old fence can make a significant difference and not break the budget. Our professional team at OBrien Real Estate can guide you in regards to possible improvements to your property in preparation for sale.
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Emotion is everything.
Presentation combined with the right atmosphere will set the scene for that feeling when the property “just feels right�, regardless of all the practical reasons why a buyer actually likes the property. The sense of smell is a powerful one and the aroma of freshly baked bread, recently brewed coffee and a freshly baked cake will conjure up a feeling of warmth and comfort. These familiar aromas will also play an equally important role in neutralising unpleasant scents and pet odours.
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Tip #1
Display vases of fresh flowers, especially in an entrance or in the main living area.
Tip #2
Tip #3
Play soft, perhaps classical, background music. If it’s a cold winter’s day and you have one, light a cosy open fire or have a heater on to warm the house. Alternatively, have a cooler on in the hot summer months.
Think about taking pets when you leave your home for an inspection—not every buyer is a pet lover. Tip #4
De-clutter - wash and store dishes away, clean bench tops and pack away children’s toys.
Tip #5
Tip #6
Make up beds and borrow extra cushions, if you can, to add a little extra style.
Optimise natural light by opening curtains and blinds; turn on lights in dark rooms and passage ways.
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The value of open for inspections.
In our fast pace of modern-day living, open for inspections offer convenience, minimal disruption to your household and can reduce the number of private appointments. More often than not advertised days and times for open for inspections are set when the general public are most likely available - after hours and on weekends. This is how we attract the maximum number of buyers. If potential buyers see other interested parties at an open for inspection they can become more motivated knowing there is healthy competition. Planned open for inspections also allow you the opportunity to plan and present your property at its best. Open for inspections offer convenience and flexibility for buyers and time to plan ahead for their weekend activities when reading through the real estate advertising guide or online. Most agents will run open for inspections at similar times therefore buyers can inspect a good snap shot of the market at the same time. The time given at open for inspections allows buyers to spend adequate time perusing the property. Open for inspections offer buyers the ability to blend in with the crowd and feel relaxed as they take in the property’s features. A private inspection might see both the seller and buyer present which can produce an uncomfortable atmosphere and subsequent rushed inspection.
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Importance of private inspections.
Private inspections will be appropriate for a particular property and will offer convenience to a buyer and/or seller. We will make this decision after full consultation with you and communicate, on a regular basis, when all inspections (open or private) are set and we never allow buyers to inspect your property without one of our representatives being present. However, at times during the course of our marketing, buyers may approach you wishing to inspect your property. If this should happen, please hand them one of our representatives’ business cards and request that they contact our representative to arrange a viewing. In this way we can keep in touch with all potential buyers for your property. This is particularly important if a sale is to occur prior to auction.
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Creating the right atmosphere.
It’s important to remember the right atmosphere will create increased competition among buyers and could bring in a higher price, especially at auction. Whether you are selling your home at auction or by private sale, there are a few things to consider when aiming for that perfect atmosphere. Make a list for your home and ensure you have included the following: • Plan to mow and edge the lawns a couple of days before auction day as potential buyers will more than likely drive by prior to the big day. • Where possible, ensure the surrounding properties are well presented and offer to mow your neighbour’s lawn if necessary. • Remove any weeds or rubbish from the nature strip, footpaths and the surrounding street. • If you have pets arrange for someone to look after them for the day and ensure there are no animal droppings left behind. • Invite friends and family along for the auction to help create atmosphere. • To help keep floors clean, place mats at all external doors and additional mats if it’s raining. • We recommend you place valuables safely away. • To create the illusion of space and provide additional parking, relocate any cars from your driveway prior to the open for inspection. • Depending on the weather, heat your house in the winter months and alternatively cool in summer—an inspection needs to be comfortable for all potential buyers. Also remember to open all curtains and blinds and windows for natural light and fresh air.
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56-58 High Street Berwick VIC 3806 Australia T 03 9707 0556 F 03 8768 0400 obrienrealestate.com.au
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