5 easy ways to make your home more attractive to buyers

What is it about a home that makes it so irresistible to a property buyer? The location? The design? The landscaping?

It can be hard to tell exactly which feature is the one that makes all the difference, so it's important to highlight your property's best features when you're preparing it for sale.

The average Brunswick home is selling for a median price of $964,000, according to Residex. Whether or not that's a figure you're aiming for, you may be able to bump up your property price with a few careful adjustments that can make your home that much more attractive to buyers (which could encourage them to spend a little more to call it theirs!).

1. Start at the curb

Literally – go and stand on the curb and take a good, long look at your home's exterior.

When was the last time the front fence got a new paint job? Could the garden do with a major tidy up? Are the recycling and garbage bins placed conveniently where you can get to them – but sitting unattractively in view from the street?

Look at every aspect of your property's 'curb appeal' and find ways to improve it. Considering you see this view daily, it becomes tough to see the small things, but you can guarantee that any flaws here will be the first thing that a prospective buyer sees – and first impressions count!

2. Focus on light

Light – both natural and artificial – is always your friend during an open home.

Start by cleaning all windows in the house on both sides to allow maximum light in. Switch on lamps in dark corners, pull all blinds and curtains back to their full extent, and place mirrors in strategic locations to help existing light further bounce around a room.

The airy atmosphere that maximum light creates is a simple trick to make your home feel infinitely calm and welcoming for new property buyers. Not to mention, at least one study has found that natural light can do wonders for you. According to a 2015 piece of research from the UNC Kenan-Flagler Business School, natural light can improve energy, alertness, productivity, and mood – and even decrease depression!

3.Remove clutter, but not your life

It's a common tip to take away all those little trinkets that make a house a home. For example, your collection of souvenirs from your travels, endless photo frames, and recent birthday cards can all create an atmosphere of mental clutter when they cover every surface. Plus, a kitchen counter covered in appliances is almost always an eyesore – try putting away the toaster, breadmaker, and any other gadgets that don't add to the space.

While it's important to cut down on clutter, it's also good to leave just enough to give the home some character. The goal is to make it look tidy, but still offer an idea of how it might look with a few personal items for the new buyer.

4. Set the table

It may sound odd, but give it a try.

Set your dining table with a neat array of matching plates, cutlery, wine and water glasses. This will give the dining area a more welcoming vibe that will help buyers imagine themselves living there.

If you're unsure where to start, pick up a home decor magazine and take a look at any dining setting for quick and easy inspiration!

5. Ask your real estate agent

When you love your home and how it is, it's hard to cast an objective eye over everything.

Instead, ask your real estate agent for an unbiased, professional opinion of how you might improve it for sale. He or she will likely spot things you didn't even notice, and their years of experience can make a huge difference in the sale.

Give our friendly Ray White Brunswick team a call for all the advice and help you need to make a sale.