You don’t get a second chance to make a first impression when selling your home.

Most buyers make decisions about the property they see within the first 15 seconds of entering the home.

So, if you want the highest price possible and to elevate your home above the rest, you need to think about how to prepare your home before people walk through the doors.

Here’s five ways to put your home in the best light.

1) De-clutter

Show off your rooms better by clearing your house of clutter and keeping things simple, such as
fresh towels in the bathroom (think of how hotel room bathrooms are presented) and perfectly made
beds. This makes it easier for the buyers to imagine their own possessions in the house, and how
they would make it their own.

2) De-personalise

How we decorate to live and sell our home can be entirely different,

When buyers tour a home, they tend to look at it from the perspective of how it fits their
circumstances. Anything that makes the house obviously yours can be distracting, and not
necessarily as ‘homey’ as you may have intended it to be. Give people every chance to imagine how
the home would work with them in it.

3) Paint

One of the easiest ways to spruce up your property is to paint it. If done well, this can look good and
can help hide other problems, such as marks and stains that have accumulated over the years.

Use light, neutral tones. These appeal to the widest range of potential buyers and can help create
the feeling of a blank canvas.

The light colours may also help make rooms appear more spacious.

4) Clean

A clean home appears much better cared for than a dusty and dirty one.

One of the simplest and cheapest ways to get your home inspection-ready is by giving it a thorough
clean from top to bottom, and inside and out. Do all the basics like vacuuming, washing and dusting,
but don’t forget to also clean the cupboards, shelves and the oven as potential buyers may take a
peek inside. A well maintained and clean home shows the owners care about the house.

 5) Increase your curb appeal

Your home could be perfect inside, but if it doesn’t dazzle from the street, you’ll lose potential buyers.

It can be off-putting for some prospective buyers if you don’t mow the lawn, freshly mulch the garden
beds or tidy up the trees and shrubs.

Make sure the fence is secure and paint it if necessary. If there are any cracks in the driveway or
footpath in front of your home, do what you can to repair and resurface them. Consider checking in
with your local council before making any modifications to a driveway or footpath, because there
may be certain rules or technical standards you need to comply with.

As far as the house exterior goes, along with a fresh coat of paint, removing mud, wasp and bird’s
nests from the eaves and above doors also are good to do.

6) Repair where it’s needed

A property that is well-cared for is more desirable.

Repair any maintenance issues. Fix leaking taps, broken windows and cracked tiles. Also replace
light bulbs and fix switches and fixtures that are faulty.

You may also wish to consider fixing any appliances that don’t work as potential buyers may check
ovens, hot water systems and garage doors. Spending a small amount on these minor repairs can
pay off by increasing your likelihood of a quick sale.