When it comes to selling your home, there are a number of things you can do to help it appeal more to the buyer’s market. However, there are also things you can do that can work against you. Here are a few dos and don’ts to help you in the process of selling your home. 

Don’t assume buyers will love your house

Just because you love your home, doesn’t mean everyone else will. No one wants to buy a house that closely resembles someone else’s life. It’s important that you remove anything really personal from your home before any inspections so buyers can visualise how they can make the space their own. But don’t go crazy and leave the rooms bare! Buyers want to know how a room can work as a bedroom or lounge room, or perhaps a sunroom as a study. 

Do declutter your house

While you shouldn’t go ahead and empty your house of everything, you should definitely declutter. Removing any unnecessary clutter such as crowded shelves and moving boxes will help open your home and make the space look much bigger. The same goes for the shed and the garage which are often left full of personal items during inspections. Cleaning up these spaces can showcase their potential to a buyer.  

Don’t ignore the damage

Even something as simple as a loose piece of carpet or a wiggly door handle can turn buyers away as it makes them think there must be something else wrong with the property, or add to their mental list of increased expenses. Make sure you’ve repaired any damage to the property, no matter how small and insignificant it may seem to you, as it could seem very important to a potential buyer. 

Do clean up the garden

You want to show off as much of your property as possible to buyers during an inspection, and that includes the front and back garden or yard. Make sure you clear away any rubbish or things laying around to help your garden look much more open and spacious. Low maintenance gardens are popular with buyers so make sure your lawn is mowed, the gardens are trimmed and mulched and there are no weeds. This gives off the impression that it’s easy to maintain and increase the appeal of your home.

Don’t remove all the plants

Having a maintained garden doesn’t mean removing all of the plants you have. Buyers usually respond to lush gardens and manicured plants. So, instead of removing them, tidy them up and trim them back. Don’t forget to take special care to make the garden leading to the front door more appealing and tidy too. 

Do take notice of the market

Make sure you’re aware of what is currently for sale and where your property sits in that market. This will help you set realistic price expectations and adapt them if need be. Looking at the current market, you’ll notice that more buyers are turning to the internet to inspect photos and videos of a property first. Make sure your property is looking its best for the photo and video footage as well as at the open home inspections. 

Don’t be there during the inspection

It’s your agent’s job to make sure your house is secure during open house inspections so leave that to them. You being there during the inspection can often turn buyers away who may feel pressured to pretend to like certain features. It can also interfere with the feedback agents receive from prospective buyers who might not feel comfortable being honest knowing the seller is present. 

Now that you know what to do and what not to do, it’s time to prepare your house for sale!