Useful tips for sellers

Useful tips for showdays

Remember the the old addage “first impressions last”. With buyers this is very important. Here are a few tips to make sure that your home attracts a buyer the first time around.

Kerb Appeal

• Make sure that all exterior paintwork is in good condition, flower beds and lawns are trimmed and weed-free, roof and gutters are in good repair and the front entrance is clean and inviting. Many a potential purchaser has turned down a property because “he didn’t like the look of it”, yet the accommodation, position and price would have been perfect for him.

Driveway, Garages & Car Port

• Ensure that the garage door is in good working order, the garage interior neat and tidy, the driveway free of weeds and grease or oil marks and the car port presentable.

Patios and Stoeps

• Attractive outdoor furniture will help to enhance this area. Cut back creepers which prevent light from entering adjoining rooms.

Swimming pools

• These must be sparkling and clean. If algae growth has marked the marble coating, consider calling in experts and have the pool acid washed.

Windows

• Replace cracked or broken panes, wash windows, check fittings and paintwork. Curtain rails must be firmly attached to walls and curtains should be clean and property hung.

Doors

• Check and wash paintwork, polish handles and locks, oil hinges and tighten door knobs.

Cupboards

• Untidy or overcrowded cupboards suggest inadequate storage space.

Floors & Carpets

• Professional steam cleansing will rejuvenate a tired looking wall-to-wall carpet and a good polish will bring out the natural beauty of a wooden strip floor. If need be, replace Novilon flooring in kitchen and bathroom – a small amount spent can make a great difference in the final selling price.

Lights & Light Fittings

• All should be functional and globes replaced where necessary.

Kitchen

• Stove, refrigerator and sink should be spotless, all work space should be clear.

Plumbing

• If basins and bath tubs cannot be spring cleaned, re-enameling is relatively inexpensive and adds value to your home. Replace broken tiles, fix noisy or leaking toilets, repair all dripping taps and repair broken putty around the bath, basin and shower. A new set of colourful towels and a few flowering pot plants in the bathroom make all the difference.

Garden & Sprinkler System

• Besides being neat and tidy, a few trays of flowering annuals in strategic places will highlight the beauty of your garden. If a sprinkler system is part of your special fixtures, make sure it is in proper working order.

Pets & Odours

• Both can put off potential buyers. Unfortunately, not all people feel comfortable with animals and most people are offered by smell. However, if necessary, put a few drops of vanilla essence in a hot oven, this will cover up any mishap.

General

• When visiting your home, prospective buyers must be at ease, unobserved, comfortable and free to voice their feelings. We recommend that you be away from your home if possible. All refuse to be removed. Backyards to be clean and tidy.