Selling Property - Tips for Show Day preparation

Tips for getting your home ready for a Show Day

• Improve the things people can see. Getting rid of highly visible eyesores will add the most value per Rand to your home.
  
• Do it yourself when possible. If you know what you're doing, a little elbow grease can add a lot of value.
  
• Don't be afraid to spend a couple of extra Rand on good paint rollers. Paint with a neutral colour such as beige. It will make the house seem larger, and it will be inoffensive to buyers.
  
• Semi-gloss paint will make your walls seem brighter. If your walls have imperfections, such as dents in the drywall or cracks in the plaster, consider using flat paint to hide those imperfections. Keep in mind that flat paint shows dirt easily and is difficult to clean, so leave it until just before your open house!
  
• Install ceiling fans. If you live in an area where warm weather is common, replacing built in ceiling lights with ceiling fans will improve the form and function of your home.
  
• As a last resort, consider flooring options. If your carpet is in really bad condition, you can replace it, or you can restore the original hardwood floor or have tiling done. Rip up a bit of carpet in a closet or any other inconspicuous area to check the floor's condition, and compare the price of restoring that of installing new carpets.
  
• Remember the senses. Put out fresh flowers for your open house, it always makes an impression. Bake some oatmeal or chocolate chip cookies, they invoke good thoughts for most people, then leave them out for visitors. If you don't have time to bake, burn a candle or use potpourri. Use smell sparingly, some people are more sensitive than others. Consider playing some very soft classical music in the background.
  
• Consider turning on all the lights when the real estate agent arrives with potential buyers. On the one hand, this will help to brighten up your house. On the other hand, a light on in the daytime is a huge "red flag" for some buyers. Either way, it will make a lasting first impression.
  
• Use floor and table lamps in every room and sheer curtains to make your open house more inviting. Lamps give a softer light, and the curtains let in sunlight, which makes the room more home-like and less clinical. You can pick up decent stuff from garage sales if you don't have any.
  
• Clean, clean, clean. Nothing improves the value more for so little of an investment than a good cleaning. Houses that look and smell clean have great market appeal. Even an older house with older appliances will fare well if everything is sparkling clean!

WARNINGS

• Before doing any electrical work on the house, shut the power off to that room from the main circuit breaker. Shutting power off to the whole house is even safer.
  
• If you don't feel comfortable making a repair or improvement, call a professional. It's better to pay to have the work done than to have to pay for extra damage you do.
  
• Follow the manufacturers' recommendations for cleaning walls or carpets, or you may do more harm than good.
  
• Always try to compare the cost of any improvement to the value it will add to the house. Many times, the improvement simply won't be worth it.
  
• Improvements that might not be cost-effective in most housing markets might pay off in highly active or inflated markets.
  
• Most Fluorescent bulbs don't work with dimmer switches, so be careful not to put them together. Unless the bulb's packaging indicates dimmer compatibility, assume that a dimmer will not work.