Preparing Your Home for Sale

Preparing your home for sale may be a daunting prospect.

What you should bear in mind, however, is that the right presentation can pay off.

Ensuring that your property appeals to potential home buyers is the best way to optimise resale value.

But where do you start? Interior, exterior, kitchen, bathroom or backyard?

Just how much work is required? And what will it cost?

For some areas of the home, small changes can make a big difference, such as spring cleaning, some new artwork, or perhaps a lick of paint.

Larger updates can provide even greater returns, particularly in areas that are dated or worn like floors and kitchen benchtops.

To guide you through the sometimes painful pre-sales process, our experts have compiled their top tips.

Clear the Clutter

One of the cheapest and easiest ways to prepare your place for sale is to declutter your home.

Less is more when creating buyer appeal. So pack away family photos and other personal mementos, minimise the number of items on display on shelves and benchtops and aim for a minimalist style.

If you are preparing to move, now is also the perfect time to downsize and sell or donate any household items you won’t be taking with you. That might mean re-locating appliances and items of furniture for a more streamlined appearance.

Diversify the Space

Think about the current layout and use of your home. What has worked for you, might not offer the best functionality for a potential buyer.

For example, if your house has five bedrooms, you might consider staging one as a study or office to demonstrate the flexibility of the space. And the children’s rumpus room could easily be converted into a home theatre room by clearing away the toys, setting up a television or projector screen and strategically placing some comfy recliners.

You’ll be surprised at how many different ways you can update your space without much effort or expense.

Add Colour

Natural materials and neutral colours can create higher property value. So it might pay to think about different ways to introduce colour when renovating for profit.

It could be as simple as a fresh coat of paint, or you might like to get creative with colour in your outdoor space, kitchen benchtops, or indoor flooring.

Using too much of one colour can cause a ‘washed out’ look, and combining too many colours can overwhelm the eye. Instead, stick to a select few colours that both contrast and complement each other.

Geostone’s Exposed Aggregate and Polished Concrete ranges are popular materials for both indoor and outdoor renovations for this reason, available in a wide range of concrete colour and stone selections.

Floor Plan Flow

Open plan living has replaced the old trend of homes being separated into a collection of tiny rooms and closed spaces.

Modern design celebrates open layouts and multi-purpose spaces. But preparing your home for sale might not be the best time for knocking down walls.

One of the easiest ways to create cohesive design and flow is with a flooring solution that continues throughout your home.

Unlike some flooring materials that have restricted uses, Geostone’s polished concrete range is ideal for the entire house including wet areas.

As well as being a solid long-term investment, concrete floors are more affordable than you might think.

Before making any major changes, be sure to seek support for designing your floor plan.

Know when not to DIY

It’s tempting to head to your nearest hardware store and attempt a quick and cheap DIY makeover so you can get your property on the market sooner.

But experts warn rushing those all important preparations could cost you more in the long run.

Knowing when not to DIY is crucial for avoiding costly mistakes.

It’s important that only licenced professionals are engaged for the jobs that require professional skills.

While renovating on a budget has its challenges, there are plenty of ways to maximise your makeover without breaking the bank.

Choosing high quality materials along with professional support can help you to avoid spending too much on renovations.

Outdoor appeal

Pre-sale renovations often focus on the indoors, but did you know that property valuers can determine the price range of your home before walking in the front door?

And you may have just 10 seconds to capture the attention of potential home buyers, before they drive on to the next property on their open house list.

So it’s important to make a good first impression, starting with the exterior.

Adding value to your home from the outside might mean renovating the driveway, installing paths, updating the garden, or building a patio.

If that’s the case, the Geostone decorative concrete range can help you to maximise the return from your home in a number of ways.

For more advice on improving your home’s value, download our free ebook or explore the Geostone article archives for more design ideas and inspiration.“