Stress Free Sale

‘Ooh, I can’t wait to move house!’ said nobody, ever! While the prospect of sidling into your brand new dream home is indeed exciting, the actual packing-up-selling-and-moving part is less enticing. In fact, it can potentially be a highly stressful time if not managed well. On the flipside, a few key considerations can dramatically transform your experience. Enter our insider tips on how to make the process of selling your home as stress-free as possible, with smooth-sailing property styling.

 

Update smart

If you’re making improvements in the hope of increasing your property’s value, it’s time to back away from the sledgehammer and put your strategy hat on first. Your goal should be to make targeted updates that will move buyers to spend bigger. For example, even the fanciest of wiring or air con can’t be seen, and thus aren’t like to hugely lift the sale price; while bathroom and kitchen updates commonly see a big return on investment. And before you get back to that sledgehammer, you don’t even have to go knocking down walls – simple tricks like spraypainting tiles instead of retiling your wet spaces, or adding cladding to tired brick walls instead of starting afresh, can save you some serious buck while also making a big difference aesthetically. Another trick to maximise sales results is to focus on indoor light – this can be achieved with easy-peasy updates like repainting dark walls white, removing heavy window dressings or trimming outdoor branches that hang over windows.

 

Budget

So much to do, so little time! If you’re considering property styling to get your home looking bang-on prior to going to market, make sure you’re honest with your stylist regarding your budget. There’s no point spending precious time discussing their premium property styling options, only to sheepishly reveal mid-way through your lattes that you can only afford one of the legs on that gorgeous lounge. A lower budget doesn’t mean you’ll need to skimp on style – your stylist can simply focus on furnishing and decorating the areas that are a property’s main selling points – think the living areas and master bedroom – and cut out the extra spaces if need be.

 

Vacate if possible for property styling

Stylists will almost unanimously agree that an empty property is always easier to style. The reasoning for this is two-sided: first, you won’t need to worry about the up-keep of the furnishings for every open home (read: you won’t get dirt on the rug or clumsily bump around the vignette that they’ve styled just so). Second, removing your own furniture gives the stylist free reign for property styling on a blank canvas. Because while integrated styling can always look great, starting with a blank canvas always helps ensure a really cohesive look that best ties in with the overall aesthetic of your property and the surrounding market. So if you’re able to move out and rent, or stay with family for the duration of your sales campaign, do so. If this isn’t possible and you’re still living at the property with existing pieces, make sure you declutter/store any items that aren’t being incorporated into the styling well beforehand so you’re not left in a mad rush as your stylist waits awkwardly in your hallway (it happens!).

 

Enlist help

Lest we need to remind you, there’s a reason why moving house is commonly cited as being one of the most stressful life events. Luckily, there are a whole host of people and businesses dedicated to helping others in this predicament – from removalists to stylists. When you do hire service providers to assist with your move, check how extensive said services are – do they offer the bare minimum, or will they provide the whole kit and kaboodle? Ask removalists if they’ll bring the boxes and pack up your kitchen for you, and quiz your stylist on whether they’ll provide delivery, installation, set-up (including hanging artworks) and collection post-sale. Tick these boxes and you can basically sit back with a margarita and watch your move happen as you loll on the lounge (almost!).

 

Want to know more about property updates that aren’t worth the stress before a sale – and which ones are winners? Read our insider tips here.

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