Our expert tips for styling your home for sale and the little things you can do to spruce up your house for a quick sale.
When it comes time to sell your house, the way you present it can help you attract the right buyers - and get the value your cherished family home deserves. After all, this has been your sanctuary where you made happy memories. So you want to entice new buyers to continue to enjoy the place that’s been so special to you for all these years.
We spoke with Jonathan Lee from Mortgage Choice to get his expert guidance and home styling tips for selling. Here, he shares some of the little things you can do to make your home stand out.
And the best part? You don’t need a large-scale renovation to get the best possible price. But if you need help getting your home ready for sale, there are plenty of home styling and decorating services available. They can take care of the hard work for you, so you can focus on getting organised for the big move.
By following Jonathan’s insider tips and tricks, your home will be ready to welcome the next family to make loving memories there. And you’ll be ready to make more of your own happy memories as part of a vibrant retirement community.
Kitchen
A beautiful kitchen is one of the most high-value areas of your house. It's the heart of the home where your buyer will prepare meals for their loved ones.
To make your kitchen more inviting, start by warming up the space with a beautiful vase of seasonal blooms. Bring in accent colours that create a warm and welcoming feel and tie in with the rest of your space.
If your chipped tiles look a little worse for wear, a quick covering with 2mm wood-effect laminate can give the place a fresh and trendy new look.
Top tips for kitchens:
add warming touches such as fruit bowls, candles or a bouquet of fresh flowers
use accents of warm, welcoming colours
upgrade or cover old flooring.
Bathroom
To attract the best buyers, your bathroom needs to look as fresh and clean as possible. Scrubbing the grout and decluttering are essential tasks you can’t overlook.
Small touches like a wooden bath caddy, bath salts, and plush towels bring a sense of everyday luxury. And you can turn your bathroom into an oasis with the calming cues of diffuser fragrance.
Top tips for bathrooms:
clean and declutter
add touches of everyday luxury
use a diffuser for calming fragrance.
Curb appeal
They say that first impressions last, so have a good look at the front of your house. Investing in curb appeal is always a winner. Painting the fence, trimming hedges, making your lawn beautiful, adding fresh mulch to your garden, planting flowers. All these little things can make a huge difference to the first impression your home will have on visitors and potential buyers.
Top tips for curb appeal:
paint the fence
tidy the garden
add colour with flowering plants.
Outdoor living
Aussies love outdoor space. Whether it's for playing, entertaining or relaxing, improving your outdoor area is a great investment. Fire pits and lounge areas are high on the value-adding list. And a beautifully styled outdoor table will entice prospective buyers, particularly those who enjoy entertaining al fresco.
Top tips for outdoor living:
create a lounge area
consider a fire pit
set your outdoor table for stylish al fresco dining.
Soft furnishings
One of the easiest value-adding tips you can follow is picking up stylish cushions, throws and natural baskets. These additions, particularly in a living room, will have the buyer picturing themselves relaxing on the sofa after a long day.
Everyone wants somewhere to relax together, put their feet up and take a breather with the family. Adding modern soft furnishings and replacing old-fashioned frilly pelmets will create a stylish and inviting feel in your home.
Top tips for soft furnishings:
add stylish cushions, throws, and accessories
focus on living areas
consider replacing old-fashioned window dressings.
Getting technical
As the smart home revolution continues, buyers are loving clever tech stuff that’s set up and functioning. So if this is something you’re keen on, you can add some technological touches to enhance the appeal of your home. (But don’t worry if it’s not your thing. It’s a nice-to-have, not a must-have.)
Whether it's as simple as an electronic keypad on the front door, wired sound throughout the house, or a full smart lighting and locking system, functioning technology is impressive. The key here is to keep it easy to use and in working order.
And if you need help with home technology, you can reach out to various retailers like JB HI-FI, The Good Guys and even your local Bunnings for advice.
Top tips for tech:
consider simple tech additions
ensure any home tech is working.
Home fixes that don’t always add value
Some home improvements make your life easier and your home more comfortable, but they don't always add value for the potential buyer. So think twice before spending your retirement money on upgrades that might not actually help you add value to your home.
These include:
high maintenance gardens
rooms with an over-the-top distinctive style
swimming pools
alarms.
Making a house a home is important to many Australians. It's where we make memories, share special moments, and sip many cups of tea. So, when it comes to putting your home on the market, painting a picture of what it would feel like to live there is important. Following our quick and easy styling tips will help you do just that. Particularly if you want to achieve a quick sale.
For more information about the lifestyle and support offered at our retirement villages, call our customer service team on 1800 550 550.
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