When listing your house or condo unit for sale, especially in a buyer’s market as is the rule in Chiang Mai, of course you’ll want to get a competitive edge in order to lock in a speedy turnaround and top dollar.
At the same time, after checking the price is right, would-be buyers will be after catching a first glimpse of the place. Now, whether your ad appears in an estate agent’s window or –odds-on in this digital age- through the internet, science tells us that you’ll have but a matter of seconds to score that all-important first impression.
And, worth a thousand words indeed, the sure-fire way to wow a potential purchaser is with a professionally photographed property. So far so good, but you’re going to have to put in a bit of time, muscle and perhaps even a small layout readying your property for the camera…
GRIME BE GONE
- Scrub, dust, sweep, mop, vacuum and polish like your life depended on it paying particular attention to countertops, floors/carpets and not forgetting to wash windows and mirrors
OUT WITH THE CLUTTER
When glancing through shots of your property, potential buyers need to be able to focus on the room itself.
Without de-cluttering so much it makes the place appear unlived-in, clear away any mess and tidy up by:
- Hiding stuff like kid’s toys, remote controls, laundry baskets and airers, portable fans, rubbish bins [garbage cans], clothing and footwear, bathroom scales, toilet brushes, magazines, post [mail] and DVDs as well as any electrical cables and wires
- Making the beds using neatly pressed linens
- Emptying the kitchen sink of dishes and leaving nothing on the work surfaces
- Closing all cupboard/cabinet doors and drawers
- Putting the toilet seat/lid down
NOTHING PERSONAL
- Pack away your personal bits and pieces (including toiletries) so that they’re not on show
- Go for furnishings and décor which are neutral yet stylish
MAX OUT THE SQUARE METREAGE
- Getting rid of any floor rugs, mats or runners unless they are really adding to the style of the property
- Rearranging furniture so that it matches up with windows and doorways (from where photos are normally taken)
DRESS FOR THE OCCASION
- A bouquet of fresh flowers to add a splash of colour and feeling of vibrancy
- Laying the dining table with decorative place settings and an eye-catching centrepiece to evoke a sumptuous evening meal
- Hanging new fluffy white bathroom towels and plumping up scatter cushions/pillows for that hotel look
OOZE KERB APPEAL
If it’s a house you’re selling, you’ll need to tend to more than just the interior spaces; particularly at the front of the property, the idea is to create an inviting outdoor oasis for lounging or entertaining so:
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Move any vehicles/push bikes from view and shut garage doors
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Wipe down and dress up any patio furniture
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Remove every scrap of rubbish [garbage]
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Pull up weeds and dead plants, mow the lawn, cut the grass, prune trees/shrubs and rake up fallen leaves
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Store garden tools (including hoses) and containers so they’re out of sight
- Spruce up decks/yards/porches/driveways
LOSE THE SCALY, FEATHERED & FURRY FRIENDS
- plus any signs of their presence
- Remove animals of any kind
LET THERE BE LIGHT
- Turn on all the lights including overhead and wall fixtures, desk/table/floor lamps and even lighting that’s built into furniture and appliances
- Pull curtains and shades right back, and angle blinds half-way
