Advisory Services - Preparing your home to sell.

Please note that when a potential buyer looks at your home, he will react to the first impressions and small details. Here are a few tips on how to make sure that your home attracts a buyer at first sight.

1. KERB APPEAL
   Make Sure that all exterior paintwork is in good condition, flowerbeds and lawns are trimmed and weed-free, roof and gutters are in good repair and the front entrance is clean and inviting. Many a potential purchaser has turned down a property because he "didn't like the look of it", yet the accommodation, position and price would have been perfect for them.
2. DRIVEWAYS, GARAGES AND CARPORTS
   Ensure that the garage door is in good working order, the garage neat and tidy, the driveway free of weeds and grease and oil marks, and the carport/s presentable.
3. PATIOS & STOEPS
   Attractive outdoor furniture will help to enhance this area. Cut back creepers which prevent light from entering adjoining rooms.
4. SWIMMING POOLS
   These must be sparkling clean. If algae growth has marked the marble coating, consider calling in the experts and have the pool acid-washed and chemicalised.
5. WINDOWS
   Replace cracked and broken panes, wash windows, check fittings and paintwork. Curtain rails must be firmly attached to walls and curtains should be clean and properly hung.
6. DOORS
   Check and wash paintwork, polish handles and locks and oil hinges, tighten door-knobs.
7. CUPBOARDS
   Untidy or over-crowded cupboards suggest inadequate storage space.
8. FLOORS AND CARPETS
   Professional steam cleaning will rejuvenate a tired looking wall to wall carpet and a good polish will bring out the natural beauty of a wooden strip floor. If need be, replace Novilon flooring in the kitchen and bathroom - a small amount spent can make a difference in the final selling price.
9. LIGHTS AND LIGHT FITTINGS
   All should be functional and globes replaced where necessary.
10. KITCHEN
    Stove, refrigerator and sink should be spotless, all work-spaces should be clear.
11. PLUMBING
    If basins and bathtubs cannot be spring-cleaned, re-enamelling is relatively inexpensive and adds value to your home. Replace broken tiles, fix noisy or leaking toilets, repair all dripping taps and repair broken putty around the bath, basin and shower. A new set of colourful towels and a few flowering pot plants in the bathroom make all the difference.
12. GARDEN AND SPRINKLER SYSTEM
    Besides being neat and tidy, a few trays of flowering annuals in strategic places will highlight the beauty of your garden. If a sprinkler system is part of your special features, make sure it is in proper working order.
13. PETS AND ODOURS Both can put off potential buyers. Unfortunately, not all people feel comfortable with animals, and most people are offended by smells. If necessary, put a few drops of vanilla essence in a saucer in a hot oven just before an expected appointment, this will cover up any mishap.
14. GENERAL
    When viewing your home, prospective buyers must be at ease, un-observed, comfortable and free to voice their feelings. We recommend that you be away from your home during an appointment, if possible.