Spring has sprung and so has the best season for selling your property.
Statistics have shown that on an annual basis the highest number of properties in South Africa is sold between September and November. After the wet Cape and dry Highveld winter, a spring in the step returns and those seeking to sell their homes will benefit from doing all they can during the flowering season of spring. To help you get your property sale-ready to secure the most serious buyers’ attention, Leadhome offers the following tips:
1. Take the work out of paperwork
Once you’ve decided to sell your home, a stack of paperwork is sure to follow. Make sure you know what documentation will be required from you as the seller, such as compliance certificates, FICA documentation and rates clearance. This will guide you in prioritising what needs to be done to the property before it can be put on the market.
2. Your book will be judged by its cover
First impressions are a once-off, priceless opportunity to stand apart from the crowd. Buyers looking for a property in a particular neighbourhood will inevitably compare homes, so make sure yours is the one they remember, for the right reasons! When coming down the road, is your pavement neat, the driveway clear, do the walls or fences stand proud or droopy?
3. Irresistible vegetation
It’s springtime when the trees don their fresh foliage, gardens stand in full bloom sharing their seductive scents and lawns return from a dry ochre to a lush and inviting green. Who wouldn’t want a piece of that? Overgrown and unkempt gardens can create the impression of carelessness, which some buyers deem a total turnoff before they’ve even entered your home. So trim those bushes, mow the lawn, plant something blooming or water-wise in forgotten corners and don’t forget the patio. South Africans love spending time on their patios so make sure the paving, tiles or bricks are fixed, awnings cleaned and dead leaves or debris that gathered over the winter months are removed.
4. Renovate the renegades
You’ve loved living in your home and over time may have come to love that wonky door handle too. Time to fix those material defects! Loose handles, wobbly flooring, sagging shelves, and cracked windows deserve to be replaced if you want to fetch the best possible price for your property. But don’t ‘over-upgrade’, just do what needs to be done or get a second opinion from a professional about which renegades are worthy of fixing.
5. The tastiest lick is a lick of paint
A fresh coat of paint, outside and in, can work wonders. It can be a cumbersome task but if your budget allows and you’re committed to ensuring your property is in ship-shape condition then bring on the paint. Neutral colours, greys and whites work best for interiors as they create a canvas for potential buyers to visualise themselves in that space.
6. Nothing lights like natural light
Unless you’re a mole, I think we can agree that a dingy, gloomy space isn’t going to seduce any buyers. Natural light elevates and lights up a room in an almost magical way – especially in spring – so open up those curtains and blinds. Get the elbow grease going for sparkling clean windows, mirrors, framed artworks and even those brass door handles. Take stock of whether there is enough light in every room and if not, consider a strategic lamp or two to light up a dark corner.
7. Tantalise the olfactory nerves
Your house might look gorgeous, welcoming, exquisitely maintained and clean but if it smells off, the deal’s off. Think of pet odours or tobacco that are trapped in carpets and curtains. If the unpleasant odours persist, consider having them professionally cleaned. Invite spring into your home by placing some fresh cut flowers in the living room, kitchen and bathrooms. Remember to pack away pet blankets, baskets and the cat litter box in the guest toilet.
8. It’s not about you
When you’re getting your home ready for viewings it’s time to depersonalise. Remove the picture frames cluttering the mantelpiece, the photos attached to the fridge door, your impressive collection of fridge magnets and all those other bits and bobs one hoard without realising. Less truly is more and will create a spacious sense of possibility for the potential buyer. Be ruthless, it’ll be worth it.
9. Don’t let the timeframe stop your clock
Many factors lead to the successful sale of a home but sometimes this process can take longer than anticipated, even in spring. Keep this in mind, in case you planned an epic round-the-world trip with the proceeds from your house sale come summer.
10. Keep expectations realistic
You might think your home is pretty priceless, but if the price tag falls way outside the market-related norm, you won’t be selling any time soon. Leadhome’s local property experts are experienced in the valuation of homes, which combines comprehensive area knowledge and the latest data of the neighbourhood. This will ensure your home is put on the market at the right price.
Now that spring is here, it’s showtime! Being sale-ready means being show-ready. So when that buyer comes a’ knocking, rest assured that with Leadhome on your side, it’s your and their bloomin’ lucky day!
