Home Appeal

Preparing a home for sale can be a big undertaking. Having lived in your home for so many years, it can be difficult to see the areas of appeal that could effect a quick sale.  Take a step back and see the property with new eyes; you may want to get the opinion of others like your family members, close friends or your real estate agent to help you. You may have some emotional attachment; but it is important for you to think about the kinds of people who may want to make your home their home. Once you are to to see the property's faults and features  and how they might appeal to or turn off  potential purchasers, you can get to work preparing your property for sale. 

Fix minor defects such as cracked tiles, peeling paint, faulty door handle, dripping taps, toilet  leaks are all minor defects that aren't expensive to fix. A fresh coat of paint, white wash the roof all of which can go a long way towards helping your property sell for the price you want. Simple steps like fixing the cracks in your driveway and checking that the brick patio is clean and free of moss and mildew, and that the swimming pool is well maintained. First impressions are so very important.

Consider home staging which is a new concept for many Bermudians,  but it is key for those purchasers  who lack visualization. Showcasing your property in the best possible way

could lead to a quick sale. Home staging can help buyers picture themselves living in the property. A home staging company can create a look and feel to your property that is most appealing to the homebuyer. If you’re decorating the place yourself, keep in mind that different things will appeal to different kinds of buyers and most important that you are creating an environment that will capture the imagination of a cross section of people and you are not decorating for you but for a future owner.

 While family photos and a fridge covered in your child's art or fridge magnets of your travels around the world are part of what makes your house your home, purchasers want to imagine their family living in what could become their home.  Removing personal items and unnecessary clutter will allow the buyer to imagine where their furnisings can be placed.  While it’s not always possible, a good rule of thumb is to aim to reduce the number of items in the house by half. Having less clutter is so much  more appealing to the buyer and just may effect a quick sale.

Focus on both indoor and outdoor living areas. A home is where we live and make memories with our families and friends. When preparing your house for sale, focus on key, functional living spaces where the new owners will spend most of their time, such as the kitchen, living room the patio or backyard. The areas of focus might vary depending on the time of year you’re looking to sell. Plant flowers in the spring, bring out those outdoor cushions and umbrellas and in the winter make sure your front and back entrances are free of debris. The key is your exterior living space should be just as inviting as your interior living space.

Kitchen

The kitchen is where everyting happens; it is no longer just for cooking and eating but also for socializing with family and friends.  It is known to be  the heart of the home, lots of cooking, lots of informal entertaining and in some cases where you have easy access to outside dining.  This  means lots of people in and out so keep it clean, disinfect that kitchen floor.  A well-used kitchen should always be cleaned; make sure you clean the stovetop daily or as often as you cook, clean the oven on a regular basis; most modern ovens are self-cleaning and require little effort to clean. Keeping the appliances clean will also improve the effectiveness and keep your maintenance costs low. Defrost your freezer, this should be done at least twice a year to ensure efficiency of your freezer. It’s something that can be ongoing whilst other jobs are being performed around the house, so do this early in the day. Clean out that fridge. It’s easy to forget about the fridge. Every so often, take everything out and give it a thorough clean. You may want to do this just before putting away those grocery items you've just purchased. Regular cleaning will improve the efficiency of the fridge and keep your food fresh longer. Declutter and reorganize the pantry, cupboards and drawers. Throw away those empty bottles and expired items. Decluttering is a worthwhile project which will be most beneficial in the long run.

Bedrooms

We often spend more time in our bedrooms over the winter months, so they collect a little more dirt and dust. Here’s what to look out for; window screens and sills, blinds, doors, ceiling fans and light fixtures.  Wash your pillows. Everyone knows it’s important to wash pillow cases but how often do you wash the actual pillow? Keep it clean to keep you healthy throughout the year. Declutter and reorganize your closet; do this twice a year Spring time before it gets too hot and just before the Christmas Holidays. Time to go through your clothes and split them into four categories: keep, give away, sell and throw out. Make sure you don’t just throw away everything; give clothing to your favourite charity as there is always someone in need.

Living Room

During the winter months, we spend more time in the living room and on the odd occassion around the fireplace, so in the spring  and summer months give it a diffrent look by adding flowers, adding colourful cushions on the sofa and change the books on the coffee table.

Spring is the perfect time to prep your outdoor area for those summer barbeque dinners with family and friends.  Get ready for the warmer nights ahead by cleaning outdoor lighting fixtures replacing any broken tiles or bricks. Trim trees, bushes and hedges. Spruce up your backyard by trimming back overgrown greenery.  Keep your outdoor area looking it’s best for the summer season. Power Wash! This can seriously transform your backyard  giving it a fresh look. It is worth giving those stepping stones, brick pathways, patios, windows, blinds, exterior doors and furniture a good cleaning. 

Around the house

There are some tips that go for the whole house – so when you’re finished with each room give the whole house a once over with these last tips. Base boards, this is a common part of every room that never gets the attention it needs. Being down at ground level, it collects all the dust and dirt that falls from above as you clean. By doing it last you’ll make like easier for yourself. Clean the carpet. This can be a big task and can require heavy-duty equipment call a professional cleaner. Wipe doorknobs and light switches, this is definitely something that goes unnoticed most of the year. Who thinks to clean these? Yet, they probably are touched more than anything in the house, meaning more germs. Spot clean your walls; mildew is a deterent. As you move through each room, check the walls and clean the marks to keep your home looking spotless.  Pay special attention to Bermuda Stone walls.

Home Scents

Open up the windows; let the sunshine in and fresh air, make sure your home smells lovely and does not have overpowering smells that could chase away a potential buyer you want the buyer to stay long enough to get the feel of your property which could be their future home.

Share this page