Preparing your home for sale is a critically important task if you wish to maximise the value of your property.
As an experienced real estate agency, we have seen time and again how owners miss the opportunity to sell for thousands of dollars more simply because they didn’t attend to small repairs or ensure their home was spotlessly clean.
Achieving these goals requires time, a little dedication and an occasional dose of elbow grease. But the upside can be spectacular – especially when the real estate market is in its current, confident mood.
Local home prices are beginning to move higher after a slightly disappointing beginning to 2025. Research suggests values have risen 1.3% in the 12 weeks to May 31..
With the interest rate now down from 4.65% to 3.85% – and more cuts by the Reserve Bank of Australia are forecast – value rises are likely to accelerate.
That’s great news if you’re selling, but you need to weigh up the impact on the other side of the transaction – that is, when it’s your turn to buy.
If you’re upsizing, you may find this is the perfect time to make your move as more expensive houses are likely to become less affordable as the market moves higher.
You can minimise the financial burden of owning a larger home by delivering your buyers a five-star presentation to extract the most value from your existing property.
To that end, here are five tips to prepare for property inspections:
Areas to prep – Ahead of an Open Home or a pre-arranged inspection, scoot around the home with a vacuum cleaner. Wipe kitchen surfaces and ensure the bathroom is gleaming. Take out the rubbish and ensure your bin-liner is empty.
Keep it clean – Don’t forget to give the inside of the microwave a wipe down and check the oven and cooking surfaces don’t have baked-on grease and food particles.
Pillow talk – Fresh linen on the beds to leave a good impression. White sheets are recommended as they don’t distract the buyer from the quality of each bedroom. Put away the fresh bed linen after the buyers have gone.
Storage areas – Keep a close eye on your cupboards and drawers. Avoid overloading these areas as you’ll want to leave an impression of sufficiency. This is especially true for the pantry and kitchen cabinets and drawers. Another storage priority should be the bedroom closets.
Best regime – Undertake cleaning tasks throughout the week. Schedule them on different days rather than ruin your weekend with a bunch of chores.
Get it done – Don’t move on to the next cleaning task until you’ve finished the existing one.
Share the load – You shouldn’t bear the burden. Give jobs to everyone in your household. It will also encourage them to keep the home tidy during the marketing campaign.
Stay focused – Prioritise high-traffic areas. Each evening, clean up in the kitchen, living room and around the front door, which is often a dumping ground for shoes, coats and other flotsam and jetsam.