22 Tips for Preparing Your Home for a Spring Sale

With the sun shining and gardens in bloom, it is little wonder that spring is a fabulous time to sell property. But with the warmer weather also comes an increase in listings, meaning it is important to prepare your home properly to have the best chance of attracting great buyers, achieving a higher sales price, and ultimately, locking in a successful sale. 

While getting your home sale-ready may seem daunting, it can be made manageable by setting aside time and tackling one job at a time. Don’t be shy in recruiting friends and family to give you a hand, especially if you offer to return the favour one day. 

Talk sales strategies with your real estate agent, including proper marketing, property staging and presentation. To help, we've compiled 22 tips to enhance your property's appeal to potential buyers. 

1. Declutter

Make your home look clean, inviting and more spacious by saying goodbye to rarely used items or those simply collecting dust. Too many books and decorative items will make shelving and countertops look crowded. Decluttering also means removing any quirky or personal features that you may love but may not be to everyone’s tastes. Remember if you are unlikely to take an item to your next home, then donate, sell or discard it. Alternatively, using a storage company for a short period of time can be a great option to declutter without letting go of everything. 

2. Depersonalise

It is also time to pack away photographs, trinkets and awards. The key to preparing your home sale is to allow potential buyers to visualise their own life in your home, not take a sticky beak at your own. 

3. Cleaning

Make your interiors gleam by taking a step beyond the usual tidying. This means all the jobs you’ve been avoiding such as dusting in hard-to-reach areas, wiping down appliances and washing floors. If you don’t have much time, you can also hire a professional to get everything bright and sparkling.

4. Streamline your furniture

Another way to declutter your internal space is to remove excessive furniture. Bulky lounges, large recliners and even extra dining chairs can make a room seem cramped. Remember, you want potential buyers to imagine living in the home and see its true potential.

5. Clear out cupboards

Serious buyers are likely to open kitchen drawers and look inside cupboards during an inspection. If it’s been a while since you’ve cleaned out the pantry, now is the time. They may also take a peek inside your wardrobe – after all they will want to check out hanging space and storage. Clearing out clothes you no longer wear (and don’t want to move with you) will allow buyers to see the space on offer. 

6. Open up the curtains

Maximising natural light in your home will make your interior feel more spacious and open. Importantly it creates a welcoming atmosphere that will appeal to homebuyers. If your interior feels dark and dingy, consider installing a skylight or a solar tube to brighten everything up. Painting walls in light neutrals or white will reflect light and create the illusion of more space. It also adds a sense of cohesion to space.

7. Don’t forget the windows

Clean windows will allow sunshine to stream inside and this is a must when selling your home. It also creates a positive first impression and shows buyers that your property is properly maintained. This job can also be outsourced if you are time-poor.

8. Repairs and Maintenance

Take an objective look at your interiors and note any flaws, defects, or damage. Repair leaky taps, loose doorknobs, and faulty light switches. Give damaged walls a fresh coat of paint, and consider having carpet stains removed by professionals.

9. Make it look pretty

First impressions count when it comes to buyers’ opinions, so increase curb appeal and make your exteriors stand out. Use a pressure washer to hose down driveways and garden pathways, and add a new letterbox.  A new doormat or pot plants are an inexpensive way to freshen your front entry.

10. Start gardening

Spring is the perfect time to showcase your garden. Rake away dead leaves, prune dead winter growth, and do a thorough weeding and mowing. Don’t forget to clear the gutters of any leaf debris. Add some mulch and make everything look tidy. Landscaping can also boost the value of your property such as adding hedging to enhance privacy.

11. Outdoor flow

Whether you are selling an apartment or an acreage, there is one thing buyers all want, and that is the connection to the outdoors. Adding a small table to a balcony or creating an alfresco can pay dividends. If your back deck allows it, consider even adding an outdoor lounge and stringing up some lights. Accessorise with some simple touches such as potted plants, cushions and even an umbrella for shade. If you have enough space, a fire pit can also make a space looking inviting.

12. Finding a listing agent

A real estate agent’s connection, along with local market knowledge and expertise, plays an important role in achieving the sales results you desire in the shortest time possible. It makes sense to use someone who is on the ground working in your suburb and who is keeping track of recent sales. Speak to your local LJ Hooker who can provide you with an appraisal of your property’s value - search for an agent near you. 

13. Research the market

Real estate agents specialise in answering the ‘how much is my home worth’ question, and they do it by running a comparative market analysis which involves finding similar properties that sold usually within the last 90 days. Attending local auctions will also provide insight into current demand in your area and is a great way to see local LJ Hooker agents in action.

14. Home improvements

Whether you should renovate before you sell is not always an easy ‘yes’ or ‘no’ question. There is a lot to consider before you start ripping out kitchens and knocking down walls. Your agent may have other less expensive ideas on how to make your property stand out and target the right demographic.

15. Marketing

Promotion is key when selling your home in spring to reach potential buyers. LJ Hooker is the expert when it comes to marketing properties to achieve outstanding sales results.  Agents know how to generate leads through social media, property portals, signboards and more traditional methods such as letterbox drops and print advertising. They may also present the property directly to buyers already on their database, in addition to holding open inspections to the public.

16. Professional photography

Capture the attention of potential buyers with sleek images that highlight your home’s best features. With 86% of buyers likely to view your property online, having high-quality, accurate images will ensure your listing stands out from the competition. Your agent will organise a photographer/videographer for the job.

17. Copywriting/Floor Plan

Likewise, a skilled copywriter can write engaging and accurate text that focuses on the property's features, along with the potential lifestyle benefits.

18. Make sure your property is compliant

Depending on where you live, swimming pools must meet certain guidelines, including fence height and security gates. Structures that have been built without proper approval can also hinder the sale process. Talk to your agent about compliance to avoid any last-minute delays when selling.

19. Staging

Staging a property is more than just tidying or perfectly arranging lounge cushions. It is about creating an emotional connection. It is estimated to add five to 10 per cent to the final sale price and can even result in a quicker sale. You don’t need to do a full makeover when selling your home. A stylist may be able to use your existing furniture or may recommend a partial staging of key rooms in the home.

20. Target the right buyers

If your home is located in a sought-after school zone, there's a good chance families will be interested in viewing your property. They are likely to value internal access from the garage, multiple rooms, a play area, a study nook and even a spot to hang school bags. A cubby house in the backyard and even a pool could win over youngsters, too. 

21. Neutralising smells

Potential buyers may leave quickly if the property fails to engage all of their senses, including their noses. Natural fragrances that create a fresh, clean, and relaxing atmosphere have been shown to influence buyer behaviour. Think citrus, pine, vanilla, cinnamon and lavender. These beautiful fragrances are sure to have prospective purchasers fall in love with your home with both their hearts and noses.

22. Decide on your type of sale

Do your research and talk to your agent about the best method of sale for your property. There are plenty of advantages to an auction campaign, particularly in spring, with both sellers and buyers keen to make a move before the end of the year. 

Vendors have the option of taking an early offer or waiting until auction day, both types of sale are unconditional. Homes that don’t reach their reserve price and are passed in often sell within two weeks of their auction date.

If you’re preparing to sell your property, make sure you get in touch with an experienced real estate agent and obtain an accurate property appraisal. You can get a better understanding of where your property stands in the market today by getting a free expert property appraisal with an LJ Hooker agent.

DISCLAIMER - The information provided is for guidance and informational purposes only and does not replace independent business, legal and financial advice which we strongly recommend. Whilst the information is considered true and correct at the date of publication, changes in circumstances after the time of publication may impact the accuracy of the information provided. LJ Hooker will not accept responsibility or liability for any reliance on the blog information, including but not limited to, the accuracy, currency or completeness of any information or links..