How to Prepare Your Home for Sale before Moving Abroad
21/07/2016
Do you have a home and are moving abroad permanently? You will have to decide what to do with the property and conclude action on your decision well before the move date. You could decide to convert the house to a rental property, of course, but this piece focuses on how you can prepare your home so you can close out a sale before your move date. Forget about plucking fresh flowers and baking bread. Here are important things you need to do.
The Exterior
When trying to get buyers, first impressions matter a great deal. You need to take a moment and view your house from the exterior like a stranger. Take note of everything that can be improved on and get to work.
- Compare your property to others close by. Does it look worse than them? Consider some paint job, rearranging paving stones, changing up the front door and other similar improvements. Your local handyman can help.
- Clear all unsightly debris around your compound. Old boxes, damaged properties, get them all out. Sell whatever you can and send the rest to the landfill. Not sure how to properly dispose everything? Call in a removals company to handle it all.
- Spend sometime in the front garden. Weed killers and a lawn mower can give the outdoors a completely new look. You may have to repeat weekly until you close a sale but the bottom line is, you need to keep the front garden looking great at all times.
The Kitchen
Greasy hobs, sticky floors and leaking pipes in your kitchen can hinder you from closing out a sale as early as possible.
- Unclutter the kitchen to give off the illusion of more space than is actually available. Bottles, containers, and everything else that can be moved around should be put away in cupboards.
- Remove any damaged white goods. They take up space but, most importantly, your prospective buyer might want to have a look.
- Have a look around the plumbing system. Fix any leaks in the piping system around the kitchen and make sure the sink is working efficiently.
- Give your kitchen a cosmetic touch. Unless it is completely worn, you shouldn’t spend more than a few hundreds on things like changing cupboard handles, changing broken lights, etc.
The Bathroom
Get your bathroom rid of any personal effects. Sanitary products, personal lotions, and empty soap packs should all be removed. Then make sure the bathroom is shiny.
- Remove all clumps of hair from the plughole and ensure your mirror and tiles are squeaky clean. Don’t neglect the bath tub and the loo, either. Just as it was with the kitchen, you need to ensure all the plumbing bit in the bathroom checks out.
- A small potted plant can transform a dour looking bathroom, but don’t invest in one if you don’t have space for it.
- A clean and fresh matching set of towels will give your bathroom a new look.
The Bedrooms
This is the most personal part in the house so you need to ensure they are as welcoming as possible.
- Keep clothes away and carpets have to be spotless and fluffy
- Bed clothes have to be clean and matching
- Repair cupboard and wardrobe doors especially if there are lots of items in there. Your potential buyer doesn’t need to see that pile of bits and bobs.
The key to closing out your home sale fast enough before moving abroad is to ensure your property leaves an impression on potential buyers. These tips can help you achieve that.
