Five steps to preparing and cleaning your home for a fast sale

They say that selling a home is one of the most stressful events you can go through. There’s a million things to do and the list only grows longer.

Recently I cleaned a long-term customer’s home in preparation for selling. She didn’t have the time to do it herself so called in the experts.

Now, it’s no secret that Sydney is having a bit of a property dip at the moment. It’s taking owners longer to sell than it has in several years. But our client managed to sell just two weeks after her home went on sale.

A clean, well presented home makes all the difference and you don’t need to hire a professional. Simply follow the steps below and you’ll be well on your way to a fast sale.

Step 1. Declutter

Clutter makes people feel uncomfortable, even if they can’t pinpoint why. A simply decorated home with minimal items around helps create a relaxed ambience.

As much as you love those old family photos and travel souvenirs, buyers want to imagine themselves creating new memories in the home. Not reliving yours. So hide them away, at least during an open home.

The best way to declutter is to start packing early. Place any non-essential items into boxes in preparation for moving day. Get rid of any odds and end on tables, desks or benchtops. If you have a lot of furniture, store it somewhere out of the way.

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The trusty old baking soda trick always works a charm! Photo: iStock

Step 2. Fresh smells

There’s a long-held belief that the smell of freshly baked cookies makes a home more likely to sell. While it might do the trick, we’re going to keep things simpler than that.

For this, we recommend trusty old baking soda. It really is the miracle cleaning solution and absorbs stains and smells. Sprinkle a bit over the carpets and sofas, let it sit for 10 to 15 minutes and then vacuum. This will neutralise any stale odours you may not even notice.

We also recommend scents such as lemon, vanilla or citrus to keep things smelling fresh.

Step 3. Dust

It’s easy to think that we know our place better than anyone else, and that may be true … except for a prospective buyer.

If someone is dropping north of 1 million dollars (the average Sydney home price these days) then you bet they’ll be doing their due diligence. You should dust every corner of your home, ensure all light switches, shelves, cupboards and the oven rangehood are free of it.

You and I know it shouldn’t make a difference, but in the mind of a buyer these things make a house less appealing.

There’s no better time to clear the garage than before a sale. Photo: iStock

Step 4. Clear the garage

Almost every home I visit has a garage full of “stuff”, and there’s no better time to clear this out than right before you sell. No one believes they are going to horde things (even though nearly everyone does) and a prospective buyer will not want to imagine their garage looking like a storage shed.

Empty it out as best you can, pack things away in boxes or on shelving to ensure it looks tidy.

Step 5. Take drastic measures

The final step is to do the types of clear out that wouldn’t even be considered in a regular spring clean. While the following tasks aren’t essential, they will enhance the appeal of your home:

• Remove old curtains to improve lighting
  
• Paint common areas a standard white
  
• Scrub the bathrooms until they shine

By ensuring your home is looking clean, smelling fresh and free of clutter you’ll be almost guaranteed to sell, even when the market isn’t so crash hot.

Michael Brooke is the owner of Carpet Cleaning Sydney and Removalists Sydney. His team have helped hundreds of homeowners prepare for selling and packing for moving day.