Spring time refresh
Category Property Advice
Thinking of putting your home on the market? Upton Properties advises that now is the perfect time to get your home ready for sale as statistics show that buyer interest increases during the warmer months.
“With the onset of September, now is a good time to touch up the paint, spruce up the garden and freshen up your décor so that you are ready to open your home to potential buyers when warmer days arrive,” advises Upton Properties principal Mark Upton.
“After Cape Town’s darker and wetter winter months where puddles, blankets, heaters and umbrellas abound, you can easily transform your home into a bright, light and welcoming space by doing a bit of maintenance and adding a colourful, fresh touch to your home décor,” he said.
He advises that the first place to start is by working on your home’s kerb appeal. Focus on cutting the lawn, neatening up flower beds and adding some summer bedding plants to add colour. From Petunias, Vinca and Marigolds, you are spoilt for choice at this time of year.
“Colourful edgings, pot plants with tumbling colour and a manicured lawn go a long way in creating a good first impression. Buyers want to imagine themselves living in your home and the better it looks, the easier it is to do so,” said Upton.
If you have an outdoor entertainment area, make sure it is clean and uncluttered. Wash the outdoor patio furniture in the case of plastic, or give a fresh coat of oil or varnish in the case of wooden furniture. A bright tablecloth or vase of colour will add a pop of colour and make the area look inviting.
“Cleaning the pool and ensuring it is sparkling, removing winter leaves from the gutters and mouldy patches on walls from the winter rain are all small projects that really do make a difference to how a home is perceived by a buyer.”
When buyers walk into your home, you want them to feel like the rooms are light, clean and fresh. Indoor plants, green foliage and vases of colourful flowers always improve a room’s appeal, as do clean windows and uncluttered spaces.
“Make sure your home smells clean, the windows are clear from grit and grime, so that clear views of outside spaces can be seen, and while you still want the home to feel loved and lived in, you don’t want it to look like a winter hibernation has just taken place. So pack away the blankets, piles of books and magazines and remove darker, heavier throws and rugs and replace with lighter scatter cushions and mats in a neutral or brighter colour,” advises Upton.
“Projects like this do not need to be complicated or expensive and the small touches can make a big difference. Just as you would not go into a job interview with a sloppy outfit and a messy hairstyle, you don’t want to enter the sales market unprepared and with your home looking the worse for wear,” he said.
“First impressions do count, so put in the effort to make your home look like a worthy market competitor and you will reap the rewards.”
When you are ready to list your home, call the Upton Properties team on 021 683 0008 or pop into their office above Barristers on Newlands Village circle. You can also view their website at www.upton.co.za.
Author: Upton Properties
