How to prepare real property for sale in order to sell it well and effectively, or the magic of image and making a perfect first impression on Buyers.
When deciding to sell real property, Owners no longer have any influence over the location, the neighbourhood or the layout in relation to daylight. There are only a few changes that can be made to make a positive impression on the Buyer. Purchase of real property is a process of consideration of the offer in terms of both price and comfort. The perception of a place is influenced by a number of tiny details that can both support the decision-making process and absolutely block it. Seemingly insignificant details create a coherent message. For years, both expensive or low-cost home staging and Owners’ preparation of real property for sale have been a common practice on a highly competitive market.
Let us check the aspects that can make a difference in terms of faster sale at the best possible price.
1. Neat interior: clean the flat thoroughly
- Vacuum
- Wipe down or repaint walls, window sills, skirting boards, doors, radiators, curtain rails
- Wash upholstery
- Replace curtains with light and neutral coloured ones
- Wash carpets
- Polish or oil floors
- Repair damage to skirting boards
- Hide cables
- Touch up and do minor repairs
- Check grout joints in the bathroom, taps
- Repaint damaged doors, gate
- Check whether doorbell and intercom work
- Neutralise colours: light beiges, shades of grey and soft browns always look great as they optically enlarge the space and they are not aggressive colours
- Check gutters, roof, attics, basements, plumbing, ventilation, air-conditioning, fireplace systems for technical features
2. Reclaim space
- Remove unnecessary furniture, trinkets, boxes
- Clear floors and windows to present their quality
- Organise items on cupboards, on terraces, in the basement, in the garage
- Rearrange furniture in the best possible way
- Arrange the terrace or balcony, or put planters in front of the entrance to the house
- Check the functionality of the rooms one by one: if you were to buy this flat or house today, what would you set up differently?
- Organise the content of wardrobes, kitchen drawers etc.: if the house is sold with furniture, many people pay attention to the divisions in the wardrobes and their storage space
- Place large mirrors in small rooms or bathrooms to make them look larger
- If the neighbourhood is not the best, plant trees or thujas next to the fence to provide at least partial distraction and create a private enclave
3. Cheerful light
- Display the window layout
- Hang light-coloured curtains to make the windows look larger
- Remember to raise blinds or shutters before presentation
- Present the terrace or balcony door opening system: the more convenient for taking out garden furniture and for children or elderly persons to go out, the better
- Check handles and hinges
- Replace light bulbs with ones providing bright warm light
4. Get rid of unpleasant smells
- Clean or remove old furniture, wilted flowers or pet accessories
- Avoid cooking before the presentation apart from baking bread or cake
- Air the rooms well in advance so that, especially in winter, the air can warm up again before the Buyers arrive
- Get rid of unpleasant odours by ozone blasting the interiors or using a subtle fragrance mist
- Use plug-in air fresheners or candles with caution
5. Depersonalise your home
- Remove private items that personalise the flat /photos, documents, certificates/
- Keep the style neutral and universal
- Add details providing a sense of freshness: potted flowers, cut flowers or a tray with citrus or apples
6. Make sure that home decor does not indicate the season when the pictures were taken
- Christmas trees or Easter decorations indicate the time when your flat was put up for sale; avoid displaying these items in your photos.
7. Other
- Set the optimum temperature in the house
- Check the quality of the walls, roof, utility installations and humidity in the basement – you may commission an expert’s opinion and put the design documentation, as-built documentation, declaration of occupancy and copies of contracts and confirmations of ongoing repairs, inspections, operating costs in a single binder. This is important for the warranty. Include information on planned or completed renovations if the real property is part of an estate, cooperative or homeowner association. A detailed description can be a valuable document during price negotiations and for the clarity of the rules of a secure sale
- Plots of land and houses: it is advisable to delineate the boundaries geodetically and to have a copy of the basic map to enable the Buyer determine the actual access to utilities so that they can check alternative solutions, e.g. concerning heating, apply for or check with the architect the possibility to obtain the relevant permits and estimate connection costs on their own
Contact us
Iwona Wieczorek
Właściciel RE/MAX Capital
Lic. 10221