Some property owners bristle at the thought of spending much-needed cash, to fix up a house or apartment they are selling or renting.  If you are such an owner, you need not be apprehensive about your decision to “pretty it up first”.  If you spend wisely, you will be able to sell for a price of a few hundred thousand dollars higher, or rent for an extra ten to twenty thousand dollars a month more than if you allowed your property to remain in its drab condition.

So go ahead and repair any structural flaws,  set your price, list it with a Realtor®,  then pretty it up to make it sparkle before the eyes of your prospective purchasers or renters.

 How to Pretty up your Property

If your property is tenanted, serve the tenant a notice to quit so you may have full access to every nook and cranny of the interior and exterior.  If you reside at the property begin by discarding your clutter   –  stuff you accumulated over the years and you now have no need for.   Your place will feel  “lighter” and appear more inviting.  Scrub the floors, walls, cupboard and appliances. Power wash the driveway and eaves,  prune and cut trees, flowers and lawn, and wash external and internal walls.  Finally give your interior and exterior walls, and the perimeter fence a coat of paint.  You’d be surprised how a good scrubbing and a coat of paint enhance the appeal of your property.

Showcase Your Property

It’s now time to stage your property to attract prospective clients. Professional house staging is an effective choice if it fits within your budget.   If not, you can become creative and “stage” your house yourself at very little cost.  I know a Realtor®  who positioned just a loveseat a coffee table on a rug beside a standing lamp in the corner of a living room of an empty two bedroom apartment.  These items, creatively positioned, added elegance to the entire apartment. Keep it creatively simple.

If you reside at the property, thoroughly tidy the house before you allow viewing,  Make the beds, vacuum the rugs remove dishes from the kitchen counter and sink and clear bathroom counters of all personal items.  Turn on the light in the house and open the windows. You get the picture?    These efforts go a far way in showcasing your property that you spent money and time to pretty up.