Your home could be worth more than you think.

Years of experience and intimate insight into buyers’ desires mean that we understand the intricacies of maximising the potential of your home. The feel and features that buyers are looking for can change quite significantly, so it’s vitally important that you seek local advice when it comes to the presentation of your home and enhancing it in a minor or major way.

Our immersion in the market means we understand precisely what local buyers are looking for. As a vendor this information is invaluable however even for those not contemplating selling at this point, it can really pay to get an agent’s perspective on improvements that will be beneficial in the long term. This is where CobdenHayson can help.

We can provide clear direction on what you can do in a practical sense to add value, lift key areas and make your home as appealing and memorable as possible. We know what works, what’s a good investment and, importantly, what’s not worth undertaking. We’ve been through crashes and market uncertainty and our advice is always transparent and trusted, providing smart solutions that maximise potential but won’t break the bank. That way, when the time does come to sell, you’re in the best possible position.

Speaking to someone on the coalface and with boots on the ground can add thousands to your final sales result, and there are few agents with the longevity and local knowledge of Samantha Elvy. Samantha has been part of the CobdenHayson family for more than 16 years and as a passionate long-time resident, she’s immersed in the community. Sam’s provided some invaluable insight into the current market and how to help people prepare their homes to get the best return on their investment.

“When it comes to property people actually will judge a book by its cover,” says Samantha. “They’ll drive by and make an assumption pretty rapidly so it’s imperative that the front looks its best. I know whenever I’m looking at property I’ll view it online then take a drive-by to get a feel for it. People can ascertain pretty quickly whether it’s worth a closer inspection just by viewing it from the outside. With this in mind, make sure gardens are spruced up. It doesn’t have to be an expensive exercise. People are time-poor so going for something low-maintenance is your best bet.

Before

After

One of the first things buyers look for once inside is the kitchen. The demographic around the Inner West has changed over the past decade. Where it used to be predominantly families with young children, today these families have teens and pre-teens, so rather than the open-plan layouts they once gravitated to, there’s a good proportion of buyers seeking separate family and kid zones. Either way, functionality and appearance are key for kitchens. Simple things you can do to enhance them are to replace dated benchtops, source new cupboard knobs and re-grout. Less is more here. People don’t want to be distracted by clutter so clear as much as you can off benches to simplify the presentation.

Before

Similarly, you can enhance bathrooms easily by re-grouting, painting unattractive tiles, adding a frameless glass screen or hanging a decorative mirror, or even changing up the vanity and basin if they’re outdated. Adding plants is also a really cheap and easy way to give bathrooms a fresh appeal. If you’re looking at doing more serious renovations, it’s always worth considering putting in an ensuite as plenty of buyers will look for these.

I find that buyers often get tired of seeing similarly styled and decorated homes, leaving them feeling a bit underwhelmed. De-cluttering is an obvious must, removing some of your personal items such as photos, but it’s ok to let your personality and taste shine through. Everyone loves a place that feels really well loved and like a home. Storage is another important factor. If you haven’t got much in your house, get clever and creative and make use of the available space. 

If you’ve got a vacant property, I’d generally recommend that you have it professionally styled, especially if you’ve got some unusual spaces. People often can’t see what’s not in front of them and there’s no doubt that styling can reap you more than you’ll spend. We work with great stylists with an aesthetic that works really well in our market, whether you’re having a full style or just need some key pieces added and minor tweaks made.

It’s also important to make sure that you pick the right time of day to show your property. Open doors, let the light and air in and show off that Spring clean to really make the most of your home. 

To achieve successful results for clients in today’s climate, we as agents need to do so much more than simply sell homes. At CobdenHayson our point of difference lies in the value added services we offer, the work we do behind the scenes and the way we identify every opportunity to make clients’ lives easier.