Guides, Property Buying

Property sellers: Handy maintenance checklists to help you put your property’s best face forward for an autumn sale

Maintenance Checklist

Thinking of sprucing up your house for sale in the next few months? There are some seasonable advantages to get more buyer interest and here are some tips to help you along. 

  • Advantages of open houses in autumn
  • Where to begin – Checklist #1 (Front yard)
  • Checklist #2 (Specialists required)

ADVANTAGE OF OPEN HOUSES IN AUTUMN

Cooler than summer – Avoiding the intense summer heat and wet winter chills, autumn entices more people to head out to attend home opens in pleasant weather.  

Stunning frontage – Your front garden, if any, can display the warm and welcoming seasonal colours worn by nature. 

Cosy atmosphere – If you have a fireplace you could create a welcoming and mesmerising ambience.

WHERE TO BEGIN – CHECKLIST #1 (FRONT YARD)

Start with what’s visible from the street. Potential buyers may already be walking or driving by, so ensure your property frontage is neat and tidy, beautiful and welcoming. 

Handy Checklist #1 for your front yard:

  • Trees and plants – Are large trees and bushes trimmed of dead foliage, is the lawn tidy, does any area need weeding, does the lawn need mowing, could you inject some fresh colour by planting seasonal flowers? 
  • Fence, gate, letterbox – Does the fence need a fresh coat of paint? Is the gate in good condition? Do you need a new and cheerful letterbox?  
  • Driveway and footpath – Will it benefit from a thorough wash with a high-pressure hose? Any broken pavers?
  • External walls and roof – Could external walls benefit from a high-pressure hosing down? Any broken bricks or roof shingles?
  • Gutters and drainpipes – Are gutters free of fallen leaves and drain pipes in good working condition? 
  • Doors and windows – Do they need dusting, cleaning, repainting, repair or replacement?

When you’ve put your property’s best face forward out front, you can move on to other tasks inside the property and any rear outdoor areas. 

CHECKLIST #2 (SPECIALISTS REQUIRED)

For tasks you could handle yourself, you can exercise more flexibility in terms of scheduling. However, there might be tasks in and around the property that you need a professional or specialist to take care of, which may not be urgent (in that they do not affect your day-to-day lifestyle), but may be important for making sure there are no issues before selling your property.

You may need to make special arrangements to be present at home when specialist service providers are attending. So, why not organise for some of them to turn up on the same day for efficiency’s sake? 

Specialist services you may need include:

Property maintenance inspection – A building inspector could provide a thorough look over structural and non-structural aspects of your property’s safety and compliance. For example, most property owners may not get someone in to look at small cracks in walls, ceilings, or floors that they can live with on a day-to-day basis. However, it would be prudent to pre-empt problems by getting these looked at as a preventative measure. 

Solar panel servicing – Again, something most homeowners don’t think about, but is worth checking. Get a professional to check if your solar power system is working optimally, and if any parts of it require maintenance or repair.

Pool maintenance – You may be able to automate some of it, but for the safety and comfort of your loved ones who use the pool, ensure that equipment is functional without leaks or deterioration, filters are working well and regularly cleaned, water quality is regularly tested and balanced, and the pool itself is regularly brushed and vacuumed to prevent rotting plant waste, algae, and bacteria from calling it home. 

Water/Gas Plumber – Every year or two, get preventative maintenance done on the plumbing systems in your property to ensure optimum performance and safety.  

Electrician – At least once every year or two, it’s a good idea to get your power outlets, circuit breakers and electrical switches tested to ensure they are in good working order, as your family’s safety and wellbeing may depend on it. 

Pest control – There may be no signs or small signs of pests in your property like ants, rats, cockroaches, termites or wasps. For peace of mind, get a professional to check any wooden structures, potential nests, or evaluate any risk areas where, for example, snakes may hide.   

Carpet cleaning – When was the last time you treated your carpets with a deep clean? If you haven’t done so in the last year or two, it’s a good idea to do so. A deep clean removes any dirt, grime, or allergens that general vacuuming doesn’t reach.

Landscaper – Whether you are doing your own yard work or already outsourcing it to a gardener or landscaper, you may still benefit from consulting a landscaper, who might have clever ideas for how to make your property more attractive to buyers. 

HOW KDD COULD HELP

Whether you are a property seller or buyer, you can potentially save time and money, as well as reduce stress, by engaging qualified conveyancing professionals like ourselves to look over your settlement contract (which sometimes runs to 100s of pages long!). Our caring and experienced specialists can help you spot any potential compliance red flags for example around electrical or swimming pool safety, or any other potential areas of dispute. Let us help you create a positive property settlement experience that is as supported, smooth flowing, and pleasant as possible. We have the people and technology to make it work out right for you. Ask us to find out how you could benefit from our input.