WITH almost 15,000 listings on the Perth market, property presentation can make all the difference in potentially achieving a higher sale price.
Here, Australia’s real estate experts share their hottest tips to help make your home opens a success.
Right: A tidy garden will entice viewers to inspect the home.
It starts with street appeal
Peard Real Estate Group chief executive Peter Peard said the old industry adage “you don’t get a second chance to make a first impression” highlighted street presentation was critical for sales success. A seller could potentially add thousands of dollars to the value of their home by getting street appeal right.
“If you are looking to improve the presentation of your home, you should walk across the street and have a look at it from a buyer’s viewpoint,” Mr Peard said. “How does it look? How does it compare with others in the street? Would you stop and go inside to have a look if you were a buyer?
“Gardens that are in poor condition give an indication that the overall home is too.”
Raine & Horne executive chairman Angus Raine said kerb-side appeal could be achieved with some simple steps. These included washing or repainting exterior walls, cleaning and polishing windows, cleaning gutters and sweeping verandahs and paths. In the garden, it was important to clear overgrowth, as well as trim lawns, edges and foliage.
“If you have killer views, don’t forget to trim back any foliage that may inhibit the vista,” Mr Raine said. “If you don’t want to do this yourself, there are plenty of gardeners and arborists who can step in to help.”
LJ Hooker WA regional manager Ken Preston warned some buyers would not make it to the front door if they saw a yard full of weeds, missing fence palings or shrubs blocking sunlight into windows.
De-clutter to avoid devalue
Mr Preston said the most important presentation tip was to clear the home of clutter, which cost nothing but paid off. Removing clutter maximised space and enabled prospective buyers to better imagine themselves living in the house.
Harcourts Group Australia operations manager Marcus Williams agreed.
“It’s obviously a must to clean and tidy your home before an inspection, but it’s crucial to also get rid of clutter that could stand in the way of a potential buyer picturing themselves in the home,” he said. “That means getting rid of personal knick-knacks and photographs and unnecessary furniture or furniture in a room not designed for that purpose.
“Even if it means putting belongings and furniture into storage until the property sells, the investment will be worth it.”
New paint, fresh feel
Mr Preston said giving interior walls a fresh coat of paint was a cost-effective way to achieve a bright, contemporary feel and enhance the home’s appeal. “When walls are faded, stained or marked, it doesn’t give the impression that the owner has taken pride in the home,” he said.
Style to impress
Mr Williams said engaging a home stylist or staging service could achieve dramatic presentation results. “Home stylists will look at your space and then loan you the furniture best suited for your home, which will make a space look bigger, comfortable and liveable,” he said. “Again, this will help potential buyers to see themselves living in the space.”
Keep things light
Buyers reacted more favourably to brightly lit properties, Acton director Travis Coleman said. To make a home as bright as possible, he suggested sellers open drapes and blinds and turn on lights prior to showings. Mr Coleman said it was important to use light bulbs with adequate wattage and consider replacing older fluorescent lamps, which darkened with use.
Mirrors could magnify the sense of light and space.
Just the right temperature
Mr Coleman also said a home should be inviting for buyers to see it in the best possible light. Airconditioning and fans would keep air temperature comfortable on hotter days, while heating should be operational in cooler weather.
Repairs and other touches
Mr Williams said it was important to make aesthetic repairs well before inspection.
“Things as small as a chip in paint in an interior wall could detract from the overall feel for the home, so get these things up to date before your home open,” he said.
Mr Preston said other elements to consider to maximise a sale price were refinishing floors, especially beautiful hardwood floors, replacing bathroom and kitchen fixtures with more contemporary styles, and re-grouting old tiled areas.
Mr Raine said it was important to mend smaller faults such as dripping taps and squeaky doors, clean carpets and curtains to remove stains and odours, and tidy cupboards and storage areas.
Mr Coleman said it was worth investing in floral arrangements to enhance a home’s interior atmosphere.
Common mistakes
Mr Peard said one of the most common mistakes sellers made was advertising their property before it was ready for sale.
“With more than 14,000 homes listed for sale in Perth, a 30 per cent jump in the past year, buyers can afford to be picky as they are spoilt for choice,” he said. “Appearance is proving to be the key, with buyers penalising properties that are poorly presented.”
Mr Raine warned sellers not to overcapitalise when readying their home.
“The cost to improve particular faults and blemishes may not produce a higher sale price over and above the investment, therefore it is important to discuss your ideas with your local agent,” he said.
-Originally published in Hills Gazette, Residential, October 2015
