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Is it worth renovating a house before selling? This is a question many home sellers ask, particularly if they are selling a house that needs repairs. Before you start spending, it’s essential to know the right home improvements to make before selling your home. Getting the balance right is crucial if you want to make your money back. The right home improvements don’t need to be expensive to make a huge difference to your home. Here we reveal the best renovations to do before selling if you want to maximise your selling price. How to sell a house that needs updating 1. Talk to an agent The first thing you need to do is talk to a reputable, experienced real estate agent. They will know the market in your area, so they will have the best idea of what local buyers are looking for. There’s no point adding features that simply won’t attract buyers, as the cost of these renovations might not end up being reflected in the sale price. An experienced agent will take a look at your home and advise you of cosmetic changes that will make the most difference and achieve maximum returns on your investment. They will also be able to put you in touch with a professional home stylist who can showcase your property in its best light. 2. Find a team of reputable tradespeople DIY is fine if you’re experienced, but remember all renovation work has to look professional to attract buyers. If you’re not confident doing a job yourself, even if it’s just painting, it’s far better to get an experienced tradesperson to do it. You should always get at least three quotes for every job, but don’t always be tempted to go for the cheapest – their work might not be good quality, so it could cost you more money in the long run as you might not achieve the sales price you’re hoping for. It helps if you can get recommendations first – it’s worth talking to your real estate agent, as they might have a team of trusted tradies they use regularly. 3. Don’t overspend Remember, the most important thing here is to add value to your home. You don’t want to overspend or have to get a loan to fix your house to sell, as you are unlikely to see a return on your investment. In addition, the buyer is unlikely to share your taste. If you spend thousands on a new kitchen or bathroom, they could easily rip it out as soon as the house is sold. This means the most important thing is to concentrate on essential repairs and small cosmetic changes. Selling a house in poor condition is extremely difficult, but you can easily fix the main problems without breaking the bank. What are the most important improvements to make before selling a house? 1. Clean and tidy Make sure your property is completely decluttered and give it a thorough deep clean before making any other improvements. This will give you the best sense of what other work needs to be done if any. 2. Freshen up A coat of paint can make a huge difference to the look and feel of your home. Stick to neutral colours, as buyers want a blank canvas that they can imagine stamping their own personalities onto. Regrouting tiled areas can make them look new, as can simple improvements like changing the handles on cupboard doors and drawers. If your cabinetry looks shabby, simply replace the doors, wherever possible, rather than investing in brand-new cabinets. You should also replace any worn or damaged flooring, but this can be done cheaply – you don’t need to buy the most expensive. It's amazing how much difference a few small cosmetic changes can make. For example: In the bathroom: You can retile a bathroom quite cheaply, particularly if it's relatively small. You can also replace the doors on a vanity, swap old tapware for new, paint the ceiling and you're done. In the kitchen: Replace cupboard doors and handles, paint the walls, put down a new floor covering, replace old tapware and your kitchen will look like new. In the garage: Make sure the space is tidy and ordered, and check the door mechanism works. 3. Make any necessary small repairs Creaking doors, dripping taps or broken tiles are instant turnoffs for buyers, as they suggest there might be other, larger problems with your home. Make sure all these minor issues are fixed. Don’t forget the exterior of the property, either – make sure the roof tiles and fence are in good condition. Whatever changes you decide to make, you should choose budget-friendly, timeless options rather than following the latest trends, and always talk to an agent first. If you would like any advice, we are always here to help.

Selling a home is something you can do in a number of ways. In order to achieve the best results and sale price for your individual circumstances, you need to know the different types of methods used for selling property and then work with your agent to choose the right method for you. Here’s what you need to know about the three main methods of sale and what factors influence the choice of method for selling. Methods of sale of property There are three main methods used to sell property: 1. Private treaty This is the traditional method of selling homes. As the vendor, you set the sale price, which should be based on a valuation provided by your real estate agent. Your agent then negotiates privately with each potential buyer on your behalf to achieve a sale price close to or (ideally) above the sale price you have set. Pros: Your property remains available until contracts have been exchanged. If in the meantime someone makes you a higher offer, it is perfectly legal for you to accept this offer. You can take your time considering different offers as there is no definite sale date, unlike with an auction. Cons: The buyer can withdraw their offer at any stage (up until contracts have been exchanged) if they change their mind. In addition, most states in Australia offer a five-day cooling-off period during which a buyer can change his or her mind. You need to get the sale price exactly right – too low and you will lose money, too high and potential buyers might be discouraged. 2. Public auction Property auctions are the same as any other type of auction. Interested bidders gather in a location, usually outside the property itself. Your real estate agent starts the bidding, and when only one bidder remains, that person ‘wins’ the property. There is no sale price set prior to the auction – instead, the agent will usually offer a guide price range. This makes people aware of whether or not they have a chance of winning the property. You also have the option of setting a ‘reserve’ price, which is the lowest amount you’re prepared to accept for your home. As some buyers are discouraged by the public auction process, nowadays some agents prefer to hold a ‘boardroom auction’. This is held in the agent’s office rather than in the street in front of your property, so it is less intimidating and more relaxed. There are no onlookers and everyone there is a serious bidder, so the process is usually quicker than holding an auction in public. Pros: Auctions encourage competition between buyers, which is enhanced by the excitement on the day, potentially pushing the property price up. It gives you a definite date to work towards so you can plan your marketing and open homes effectively. Even if your home doesn’t sell on auction day, most agents negotiate a sale in the following days. Cons: The sale price is public, and if your property ‘passes in’. where it fails to meet the guide price, this will be made public, which can damage its future sales potential. Some buyers dislike the auction process and might be discouraged from attending 3. Blind auction This method is also known as a silent auction, or buying a house by expression of interest. Your agent will advertise the property and the closing date for expressions of interest. Interested parties then make offers for the property without knowing what amounts anyone else is bidding. Pros: You only get to make one expression of interest in real estate so many people will make their highest offer straight away as they don’t want to miss out. You can end up gaining as people offer what they are prepared to pay – they don’t know what other interested parties are offering and they know they can’t try and outbid others later on. Cons: People might not know the market value of the property so they make offers that are far too low. Once the highest bid has been accepted, you are not then allowed to accept any other offers that might be made for your property. Blind auctions can have high marketing costs because you have less time to make sure buyers know about the property and the closing date. What factors influence the choice of method for selling a property? The right method for you will depend entirely on the outcome you want. If you need a quick sale, a public auction is the best way to achieve this. Even if your property passes in, it still has a high chance of being sold on auction day as your agent can negotiate with the highest bidder once the auction has closed. If you don’t want the stress and time constraints of an auction, and you want control over who you sell your property to, a private treaty is the right method for you. However, it isn’t ideal if you need a quick sale as you don’t know when the offers are going to come in. Blind auctions are normally used to sell prestige properties as interested buyers are likely to have more money to offer. However, this is quite an unpredictable process, so you need to be willing to gamble. More information about selling your home The most important thing when you are selling your home is to have a reputable and experienced real estate agent to guide you through the process. They will understand the local market and take the time to establish which method would work best for you in your individual circumstances. If you would like more help and advice about selling your home, please contact us, and we will be happy to help.

When you’re selling your home, professional property styling can help you achieve the best possible price. But what will a home stylist do for you? How much does home staging cost? And how much return can you expect on your investment? We take an in-depth look at home staging, to put you in the picture. Why house staging is important to your sale The property market is on the rise – home for sale are in short supply which his means it’s a seller’s market, so there is less competition. If you want to achieve the best possible sales price, your property needs to stand out from the crowd. This is where a professional home stylist can help. They style your home to make it as appealing as possible to potential buyers, often bringing home furnishings with them to highlight key features of your home. This maximises your home’s appeal in a number of ways: It makes your home aspirational Potential buyers want to imagine themselves living in your home. They like the thought of being able to move straight in without having to do any work to the property. Home staging achieves this by making your home neutral, removing all personal items such as family photographs, and ensuring all the furniture is new and of good quality. This helps buyers to see your home in its best light and picture themselves living there. It gives your home a broader appeal By highlighting the best features of your home and making even dated rooms look more attractive, property styling makes your home appeal to more potential buyers. This ensures you will receive more competing offers, giving you a faster sale and helping you to achieve the best possible sale price. It makes your home look better in photographs A professional home stylist knows exactly what makes a property look good in photographs. As a result, online advertising for your home will generate more interest, leading to more buyers wanting to visit your home in person. How much does home staging cost? Firstly, it is important to see home staging as an investment. Property styling statistics tell us that by having your home professionally styled, you can add between 7.5 and 12.5 per cent onto the final sale price. In every case, you will at the very least make your money back, usually making significantly more. The cost of home styling depends on what you want. It is possible to have a single consultation with a home stylist for between $150 and $500, but you would then have to carry out their recommendations yourself. Most sellers choose property styling packages, which can include a whole variety of services such as decluttering, and cleaning and minor repairs, as well as styling and hiring furniture. The cost of a full property styling package can range from $1,500 for a one-bedroom apartment up to $10,000 for a large family home, but this is money well-spent. Should you consider DIY home styling for sale? If you want to style your property yourself, the most important things are to declutter and give your property a thorough clean. Make sure any minor repairs are done and remember that a coat of paint can give the space a much fresher feel. However, if you really want to make a difference, you also have to consider how much it might cost to hire furniture for a house sale unless you can borrow the items you need from family and friends. Most importantly, you need to consult with a reputable real estate agent, who will be able to offer advice on what you need to do. They will also be able to put you in touch with a professional home stylist. If you need any further information and advice, please contact us, and we will be happy to help.

The housing market is extremely competitive, so if you want to know how to sell your house, you need to learn how to market it to show buyers exactly what they are looking for. Here we explain what adds value to a house, and what you can do to appeal to potential buyers to ensure you generate maximum interest and get the best possible sale price for your home. Provide ALL the information buyers need Looking for a new home can be extremely time-consuming, not to mention expensive. Buyers look at many properties, so you need to make sure yours is more memorable than others in your area. One of the ways you can do this is by providing potential buyers with as much information as possible to save them spending extra time and money finding the essential things out for themselves. They will remember and thank you for it! Some of the information you can provide them with includes: Building and pest inspection reports When someone is on the market for a new home, they won’t be prepared to spend on building and pest inspection reports for every property they visit – they will do this only for a select few. You can get ahead of the competition by providing them with this information yourself. It can make all the difference, especially for buyers who may already be stretching their budgets to the max to afford your property. Engineer’s report This shows that your property is structurally sound, even if it has cracks or other visible faults. It reassures buyers that they won’t need to have expensive structural work done if they purchase your property. Invoices showing the costs of improvements If you have made improvements to your property, showing potential buyers the invoices demonstrates that they are getting good value. It shows how much you have spent on the property and that you have taken care in maintaining and improving it, so they will not need to have as much work done themselves. Get your presentation right Some of the questions we are commonly asked by home sellers include: What are the best renovations to do before selling? How much value does painting add to a house? Does a front fence add value? The truth is, every home is different, and the renovations you need to make will depend on the condition of your property. The most important things to do are to declutter and give every area of your property a deep clean. You need to remove all your personal items so buyers can see a blank canvas. A good real estate agent will be able to put you in touch with a professional property stylist. They will bring in their own furniture and soft furnishings to present your home in a way that will photograph well and appeal to potential buyers in your area. Create an emotional connection Home buying is an aspirational process. Buyers are looking for a property that they can imagine themselves living in and enjoying the lifestyle it offers. This means you have to make every effort to forge an emotional connection between potential buyers and your property to generate maximum interest and increase your home resale value. To do this, you need to make sure the photographs of your home look as attractive as possible. You then need to make sure these photographs reach as many of your target market as possible through increasing your social media reach. A good agent will ensure your property can be seen by overseas and interstate buyers as well as those in your local area. In addition, you can make the experience more ‘real’ for the buyer by making it easier for them to envisage living in your home. 3D floor plans such as those offered by Diakrit and virtual walk-throughs of the kind Matterport offer enable buyers to ‘revisit’ your property online and imagine how they would use the space. This creates a deeper connection with your property and makes it stand out from the crowd. Find out more about how to add value to your home If you want more tips on how to increase the value of your home and how to market it to appeal to the maximum number of buyers in your area, we are always happy to help. Please contact us for more information.

If you’re of a certain age, you’ll no doubt be inundated with articles on downsizing. We often talk about downsizing – and the tiny house movement certainly gives the impression that everyone needs to move into a glorified caravan to be happy. However, we like to take a different approach and prefer to talk about ‘rightsizing’ that applies to any age group.   What is rightsizing? Rightsizing is about having the space you need at the age you are that makes you happy and allows you to live comfortably. That might mean that you sell the family home that’s too large for your needs and finding a smaller home elsewhere, either closer in or out of the city. However, if what makes you happy is entertaining, and having family and friends visit, then you might look at a larger property with some acreage.   Downsizing Once the family has left home and you start to change the way you live your life, cleaning a large home might not be your cup of tea (if it ever was). There’s a good reason minimalism took off over the last 10 years; it’s all those homeowners who wanted to make their lives more manageable.  Larger homes with loads of storage space encourage hoarding, and possessions can be a responsibility you might no longer wish to deal with. If this sounds like you, then it might be time to think about finding a smaller home that allows you to live your life the way you want to – without all the cleaning, mowing and repairs.   Upsizing Young couples and first home buyers in this market can generally afford only a modestly sized property. Once children come along, they realise it’s worth investing in a larger home to accommodate a growing family and a more active lifestyle. Older couples, too, might choose to sell the suburban family home in favour of a larger property with a pool or a tennis court, and plenty of room to accommodate visitors and keep the grandkids entertained.   Multigenerational living Especially given property prices and the need for emotional and physical support, there’s a greater tendency these days for several generations to pool resources and live together. While this might sound like each generation would lack the privacy they need, properties such as dual-key homes offer proximity and privacy.  If you aren’t familiar with the dual-key concept, a dual-key home is one with two homes on the same block. They tend to be apartments or townhouse-style, with separate entrances. Owners of dual-key properties can live separately but together, or rent half their property. Dual-key home designs tend to allow for future merging of the two properties into one as family needs change. For those considering a new build for multigenerational living, creative architecture and interior design can also ensure comfort and privacy through zoning, subtle level changes and considered use of materials. Top three tips for rightsizing your ome and upsizing your life While there’s no ‘right’ or ‘wrong’ way, if you follow these tips, you’ll end up in a better place. 1. Make a list of locations You might have lived in the same area your whole life but that’s no reason to stay. Your current home might be out of a good schools catchment area, or far from medical facilities and shopping. Think about what you’ll need for the next ten years. 2.Make a list of must-haves Whatever you’re doing – downsizing or upsizing – to find the right property, you need to be clear about what you want, what possessions you want to keep, and what lifestyle your new home needs to enhance. 3. Audit your finances Rightsizing is about helping you live your best life and you can’t do that if you’re trying to service a mortgage you can’t afford. So take stock of your finances, talk to a mortgage broker you trust, and buy a home you can afford without stress.   Can we help you rightsize your home? Get in touch with us today.

The pandemic may have been a fearful time for many but in no small way contributed to the rise of community spirit across the globe. We hear from various surveys that around one in three of us know our neighbours better than before the health crisis struck our shores.   What has been highlighted for many, is how little time we spared for our neighbours and those more vulnerable. And it also showed our need for connections as we checked in on family, friends and formed new relationships with others across our community.    We have a primal need to be with others and we’ve since found creative ways to connect and help each other. You could say our empathy button was supercharged.   Supporting our neighbours We love hearing how locals across our community support their neighbours. From simple offers of help dropped into neighbours’ letterboxes to kindness campaigns organised by able local residents, we’ve seen an upswing in acts of kindness.  In Melbourne, two sisters gave away home-grown seedlings to passers-by, most of whom returned the favour with homemade bread, potting mix and other useful gifts. In New Zealand, The Big Kindness Count recorded 16,000 acts of kindness – ranging from local businesses helping NGOs to locals providing food boxes or shopping and delivering groceries to those in need. There were even anonymous artists creating footpath adventures for local children – within the first few days of the Big Kindness launch.            Supporting local businesses What’s been overwhelming is our renewed focus toward supporting local businesses, over and above buying from national conglomerates.  Many of us are happy enough to scoot all over town in search of a bargain or do our shopping online or when we travel overseas. Today, however, we think twice and have a renewed love for supporting the smaller businesses (often owned by local residents) such as nearby cafés, restaurants and boutique shops. Using technology and social media to connect When we’re unable to visit and hug those closest to us, we’ve learnt to find a sense of security and belonging in other ways.  For the more tech-literate, there’s Zoom or Microsoft Teams or other online video call options. However, for many more, we got a sense of connection and belonging through memberships of online groups where we’ve found others with mutual interests and shared hobbies.  Many suburb-based Facebook groups have grown in popularity and activity in recent months, helping to spread kindness across our local communities. The commonality of our mobile phones and access to the internet makes disseminating information easy – such as lost and found pets, new cafes as they pop up, recommendations for services such as a mobile hairdresser or chiropractor.    Can we keep up the kindness? Regaining the community spirit of days gone by, we now have renewed enthusiasm and ‘permission’ to get involved in our communities and reach out to each other more often.  We hope that as life speeds up again that we manage to retain these deeper and more meaningful connections – especially with our elderly neighbours and the more vulnerable in our communities.   If you are part of a community group and would like to share details of it, please include the name and link in our social media post for this article. We’d love to know more about what you’re doing to be a good neighbour.

There’s a joke that does the rounds every now and again: “If your husband says he will fix something around the house, he will do it. There’s no need to keep nagging him every six months.” While this might give some people a chuckle, the truth is we all put off the cleaning and repair jobs that don’t exactly spark joy, especially when life gets busy.  For those of us who wished we had some time off to clean and get to outstanding jobs, with the pandemic causing us to press the pause button, many of us have got what we wanted. With social outings limited and even work cancelled for many people, we are down to a choice between cleaning, fixing and decluttering, or Netflix.  If you’re ready to roll up your sleeves and tackle a few of those outstanding projects we have some tips.  What to DIY when you’re home more Most tradespeople will tell you they are often called in once a DIY job has gone awry so unless you have a lot of experience, stick to smaller, simple projects. Leave things like plumbing and anything related to electricity to the pros and don’t attempt to use dangerous tools if you’re not familiar with them.  However, with that being said, there are plenty of things you can do around the house.  Sort your storage First things first, it's decluttering time. Go through your linen closet, your wardrobe, your kitchen cupboards and your laundry. Have separate piles of things to keep, repurpose, sell online, pass on to charity and throw away.  If you’re overwhelmed, start with a type of item, for example, jackets, shoes or towels. With your entire collection in front of you, it should be easy to make decisions.  There is no better feeling than an organised wardrobe, pantry or toy room. While you’re in the process of decluttering, have a cloth and bucket of warm soapy water handy so you can give things a wipe down as well.  Many local furniture and department stores are open and offering contactless collection so do some research if you are looking to buy shelves or storage units to help tidy your home. Flat-pack bookshelves, storage units or shelves can make a big difference to the way your home is organised and they are easy to assemble.  If you don’t want to make some spare cash from decluttering, why not consider donating some of your reusable belongings to a local charity. Cleaning: Go deep It’s not an attractive prospect but there are certain cleaning tasks that you’ll find very satisfying to complete.  These include:  Under the fridge Under the beds Behind and under the couch  Your outside gutters Your oven Your fridge Your front door (or consider pressure washing the entire front of your house, including your driveway) Air conditioner filter You can delegate tasks like polishing doorknobs or cleaning windows to older children, with an incentive for their participation.  The advantages of doing a deep clean include appliances working better than they have in a while and potentially discovering areas of your home that are in real need of attention.  Many hardware stores had to put a cap on cleaning supply sales with a limited amount available to each customer. While there is still plenty available, you might wish to get creative and make your own cleaning supplies.  Get handy Tasks like fixing leaky taps, repairing gates, filling cracks and tidying up outside are all good for DIY. You will find a lot of tutorials online to help you get the job done the right way.  You could also take on a painting project and use your time at home to paint a bedroom or space in your home that needs freshening up. Again, track down some tips and stick to them. Painting can be harder than it looks and the bulk of the work is in the preparation. Here’s a step-by-step guide to painting the interior of your home. It includes a list of the supplies you will need.  Find a project You might also wish to upcycle some furniture, repurpose space in your home as a study, build some basic shelves in the garage or get to work on an outdoor playhouse now you have the time.  Take each project step by step and try not to rush. If you have older children, try involving them with less challenging parts so they can join your sense of achievement. Some projects kids might enjoy include sanding and repainting furniture, making a mosaic from old broken tiles or helping to sew new curtains.  Another project you will be pleased you got your teeth into is finding your favourite photos, printing them and creating a wall display. Again, this can be a fun one to work on with children.  If you’re really creative (and a little brave), you could work on a mural to add some personality to one of your walls. Use light colours so it can be painted over when the time comes. Here’s another step-by-step guide.  One thing to keep in mind when planning projects is the impact they will have on the value of your home. If you’re thinking of listing your property for sale (or rent) this year, focus on deep cleaning, repairs and cosmetic upgrades so your property looks its best when the agent, photographer and buyers come through.  

What adds value to a house? This is a question we are frequently asked by home sellers wanting to increase home resale value. Ultimately, all sellers want to achieve the maximum sale price along with a smooth sale. Even in a buyer’s market like we are currently experiencing, presenting your home in its best light doesn’t need to be difficult or expensive. We’ve taken a look at three essential ways you can increase the value of your home before you sell it, along with the best renovations to do before selling. How to increase the value of your home There are three essential areas to cover if you want to achieve the maximum sale value for your property: 1. Tidy and declutter Buyers want to imagine themselves living in your home. This is a lot easier if your property is a fairly blank canvas, so if you want to know how to sell your house, decluttering is the first and most important thing you need to do. It’s up to you where you start, but every room needs to be tackled. To help buyers imagine themselves living in your home, make sure all personal items, such as family photographs, are stored away. Then take out all unnecessary furniture to make the room look as spacious and neutral as possible. In particular, items like your favourite recliner and pet beds are turn-offs for buyers, so these need to go! Any worn or damaged furniture should also be removed. One of the most cluttered rooms tends to be the bathroom. You can help matters here by decanting your toiletries into matching containers to give a neat, stylish look. In addition, don’t forget to clear out all your cupboards – buyers will look inside them, as they want to know if your property has enough storage space. Once you have decluttered, you can give everything a deep clean and see what other jobs need doing. 2. Essential maintenance and cosmetic repairs Buyers are looking for a home which they can move straight into with as little work as possible. For this reason, it is essential to take care of all the little maintenance jobs, such as fixing dripping taps, sticking drawers, or cupboard doors that won’t close. Once all these jobs are complete, you can turn to cosmetic improvements. How much value does painting add to a house? It can actually help you achieve the sale price you want, as a new coat of paint makes a room look fresh and new. Choose neutral colours so the buyers can imagine putting their own stamp on the property. Floor coverings are also extremely important here – if they are damaged or look worn, they need to be replaced. If your carpets are in good condition, however, a simple shampoo might be all it takes to get them looking and smelling new. 3. Home staging You might not realise it, but you have already started staging your home by reducing the amount of furniture to create a more airy, larger-looking space. However, you might want to consult with a home stylist, as professional home styling can add thousands to the final sale price of your home. The stylist will usually bring some of their own furniture and will arrange your rooms in a way that will look as attractive as possible on photographs. This enables you to attract more potential buyers. Find out more about how to sell your house A reputable real estate agent can advise on how to add value to your home. They know the local market so they are in the best position to advise on what changes you need to make, which items to keep, and which need to go. They will also be able to put you in touch with a professional home stylist who can add value to your home. If you would like more information and advice, please contact us – we are always happy to help.