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Getting a house ready for market is like going on a first date.

Can you remember back to when you were getting ready to go out on a first date with someone new? You wanted to make a good impression and make them fall for you at first glance.  I bet you went all out on getting yourself prepared for the occasion. Since I am a woman I will describe the process I usually go through when I have got a hot date lined up.

1.     Clean – Soak in the tub followed by a Body Scrub

2.     Repair – Attend to chipped and broken nails and finish with a polish for fingers and toes

3.     Maintenance – Visit to the hairdressers for a colour, cut and style. Waxing appointment for a tidy up.

4.     Upgrade – Put my face on – anti ageing skincare, foundation, blush, eyeliner, mascara and eye shadow

5.     Renew – There’s nothing to wear in my wardrobe so a new outfit is essential and don’t forget some killer lingerie as well.

6.     Accessorise – Shoes, Handbag and jewellery to match the new dress. Don’t forget a new shade of lipstick to complete the look.

Now I am ready for open inspection!

If you want to make money when you sell your house, you need to get it dressed for the occasion.  Your home is your nest egg, your main financial investment and you owe it to yourself to squeeze out every last dollar of equity. I have been buying, renovating, staging and selling homes for Profit for the many years and I am passionate about changing the mindset of the average home seller. Why should real estate entrepreneurs and investors be the only ones to make extra cash when they sell their houses?

Just like most of us don’t present ourselves “as is” when we are out to make a great impression it is crucial that home owners take the necessary steps to become smart home sellers that can make money when they sell and dress their homes to impress.  Imagine getting your home ready for its first date and apply the same 6 steps above when preparing your property for sale. You will be sure to attract a buyer that “falls in love” with your home.

Here are my Top Six Makeover Strategies to Add Massive Value to Your Home

1.     Clean – Detail your home just like you would detail your car if you were selling it. Scrub the wet areas, clean the windows until they sparkle, get rid of the cobwebs and built up dust.

2.     Repair – If it’s broken  - fix it!   Buyers don’t want to buy someone else’s repair jobs.

3.     Maintenance – Make sure all appliances (cooking, heating and cooling) are in good working order and have your maintenance records handy if requested by a potential buyer.

4.     Upgrade – Simple upgrades that won’t break the budget but will impress your buyers are shiny new taps, new door handles on cupboards, new letterbox, new welcome mat.

5.     Renew – Lifestyle upgrades will transform your house into a home that will have emotional appeal to buyers and mean top dollar sales. Think new kitchen appliances, contemporary window treatments, outdoor room enhancement.

6.     Accessorise – Accessories are the finishing touches that buyers see in glossy magazines and want in their own home because they make life better and enhance their living environment. Cushions, bed linen, art work, decorative pieces etc. will complete the look and give your house the wow factor.

When a housing market slows down and homebuyers become more savvy about what offers real value, sellers can gain the competitive edge by investing in a pre sale makeover to get their house dressed for the occasion.

Charyn Youngson

Author, Professional Home Stager

www.housestoimpress.com

Author of "Sold for Top Dollar - Low Cost Home Improvements to Maximise your Sale" Charyn has many years experience in Buying, Renovating, Staging and Selling homes for PROFIT.  As Australia's Leading Home Staging Expert  she shares her simple, cost effective home makeover strategies and tips in a down to earth, no nonsense and practical manner that is not only easy to read but easy to implement. When Charyn was sacked from her Admin job in 2004, she was a single Mum with no income and no trade skills but she was determined to create wealth through property. Her first home renovation netted her $30,000, more than she had earned in the whole previous year and a new career in renovating and home staging developed as a result.