Painting
You should paint bathroom ceilings if they need it, paint kitchen cupboards if the colours are dated. Consider changing the handles as well – a very inexpensive way to modernise your kitchen and most cupboard handles are a standard size so they are very easy to change (all you need is a screwdriver).
Consider painting hallways and rooms if the existing colours are very dark. Use light, neutral colours at all times.
Paint your front doorway (and front door if required) to improve a buyer’s first impression
Gardening
You want your garden to appear as low maintenance as possible. If you present a section that is well maintained, it will give buyers confidence that you have taken care of your property. Make sure any trees and hedges are not coming into contact with the house itself. Make sure paths are clear from over-hanging branches and above all else – trim anything that is blocking the sun! Be ruthless.
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House Washing and Cleaning
Sometimes all that is required to make a massive difference to the presentation of your property is a good, thorough house wash. When this is done professionally, it can cost a bit more than you might think, but is worth every penny. Be sure to also wash gutters, paths and driveways too.
De-clutter
Firstly, take out everything you absolutely don’t need for daily life. Now take out some more. When you visit a show-home the first thing you notice is that they have a ridiculously small amount of furniture, but they do that on purpose. The more you take out of a room, the bigger it will feel to a prospective buyer. Leave prints and paintings on the wall (and a few personal photos to make it feel homely), but clear any surfaces, like the tops of bookcases, the front of your fridge, the entire kitchen bench and dining tables, desks etc.
Hire a storage unit if you need to, and feel free to use your garage for storage.
Now you can dress for success! Borrow nice furniture from friends and family if you can, invest in new curtains if needed, and buy a new shower curtain if you have one. New duvet covers are essential – keep it simple and neutral.
Now that you are ready to move, decide which you will pursue first: Buying or selling...
This is a biggie. Owners often can’t imagine selling their first property without securing another home first. “We don’t want to be homeless!” This is completely understandable, especially for families with young kids and pets, where renting would be less than ideal. The problem with this approach is it often means that when you find your dream home you need to make your offer subject to the sale of your existing property. This is a sure-fire way to lose out in a competitive market.
Option 1: Secure bridging finance.
Hopefully, you can secure a long settlement when you buy, then sell your current home before you move in. If you are fortunate you may be able to get the settlement dates to align and never actually need to use the bridging finance.
Option 2: Sell your home with a long settlement (eg 3- 4 months). This is actually the most common solution. It’s also the one that involves the least amount of stress. It is quite easy to find buyers who will settle in 3-4 months time.