Month: June 2020

Preparing your property for a summer sale

Sponsered By: Real Good Agents, realtors lead generation by appointment.

Generally speaking, summer sales are all about showcasing the exterior of your property and making the most of your garden and outdoor areas, even your balcony.

Before you start making any repairs / changes it is a good idea to ask your agent what they think you should focus on. They are highly experienced in selling and know what features buyers value over others. Here is deep dive into preparing the outside of your home and our step by step infographic on what else you need to focus on.

Preparing the outside of your home

Make all necessary repairs.

Walk around the outside of your home with the eyes of a buyer and make a list of the things that need to be fixed. Start at the front of the home, does the gate need to be repaired, does the front fence need to be repainted, are there any issues with the path, is the front door in good condition, how are the windows, gutters?….you get the idea.

Make the most of your curb appeal

Many potential buyers do a ‘drive past’ a property before they come in for an inspection – they are seeing if the property looks any good and worth their time. This means that first impressions are critical and this starts at the curb. Here are some simple jobs to help enhance your curb appeal:

Make the most of your back garden

Aussies love being outside and one of the key benefits of selling in Summer is you can promote your outside area as another entire living space. This creates a whole new room in the eyes of a buyer and a major selling feature in summer. We buy houses in Huntington

If you are lucky enough to have a back garden spend a few of hours weeding the garden beds, keep the lawn mowed, trim any bushes and trees and plant flowering plants in the garden beds.

Repair your deck

If you have a deck – wash it down or water blast it to remove any grime. If there is damage, make any necessary repairs – drive any protruding nails flush with the surface of the board or replace them with deck screws. Repair or replace boards that are badly deteriorated and sand any rough spots to stop splinters. Once it’s dried apply a sealer or stain the deck – you’ll be surprised how great it looks…and your buyers will love it.

Maximize your courtyard space

If you have a courtyard it is important to maximise this space. A trick of the landscaping trade is to create a focal point like a water feature, statue or urn. This should be placed at the furthest point from the entrance so your buyers vision is drawn a distance, giving a sense of space.

If you have time before the sale, you can also give an illusion of space by paving the entire area with large pavers (500x500mm) to make the area look wider and less busy. Don’t use any dark colours in your courtyard structures as these reduce the perception of space.

Add some Outdoor Furniture

If you don’t have an outdoor setting it my be a good idea is to hire some nice outdoor furniture for the sale. A table and chairs, a BBQ or an outdoor lounge setting looks great and helps people envision themselves sitting back with a glass of wine or a beer entertaining friends. If you already have outdoor furniture make sure it is clean and in good condition.

Enhance the entrance

Spruce up the entry way and the front door. Add a welcome mat, make sure the front door is clean or consider painting it if it is looking a bit tired.

If you have sufficient space, place a range of matching terracotta pots with plants against the wall near your entrance. For the average sized doorway use the pots up to a metre high. If your home is an older style, aged classic cone shaped pots with a rolled rim containing colourful flowers, like geraniums, will give a traditional welcome feeling. For more modern homes tall angular pots that taper downwards are very popular. Architectural plans like succulents are also good as they create a dramatic effect.

Try and keep everything symmetrical. If you are using pots and plants to add interest, put one either side of the entrance or you might like to hang two matching lanterns for a warm glow. The trick is to keep it simple and not clutter the space.

Keeping your home cool and light filled

Whilst summer is the time to make the most of your outdoor areas, Internally it’s about finding a balance between light and keeping the property cool. It’s about getting the balance of light and temperature

If you have air conditioning, turn it on. If you can create cross ventilation breezes that is even better and if you hav fans use them too. Your aim here is to make your home comfortable and cool, but not all closed up wih the air conditining on so high that the potential buyers teeth are chattering.

Styling to sell

Whilst summer selling lets you show off the outside features of your home, spending time styling the whole property is essential to a successful sale. To help you get ready for your up coming sale, here is our easy to following Styling to Sell infographic that walks you through the eight steps to successful styling to sell. Of course you agent is the best person to talk to here so make sure you ask them what they suggest you focus on as every property is different.

Tree Trimming Service

7 habits of tax smart property investors

Are you doing all seven of these tax smart initiatives?

Declare all income

Any income you receive when you rent out your property must be declared on your tax return.

Keep proof of all expenses

Any time you spend money on your investment property, you should keep proof of expenditure, such as a receipt.

Track when you use your rental for private use

If you, your family or friends stay in your rental property for free or a reduced rate, this will affect the expenses you can claim for that period.

Only claim interest expenses on the part of your loan that relates to your rental property

You can claim interest charged on a loan relating to your rental property. However, if you use part of that loan for private purposes, such as to buy a new family car, you can’t claim interest on that part of the loan.

Claim improvements or initial repairs as capital works

Improvements such as renovating the bathroom or initial repairs for damage that existed when you purchased the property must be claimed as capital works expenses and spread over a number of years, not claimed as an outright deduction. We buy houses in Parkersburg

Correctly divide income and expenses of co-owned properties

If you share ownership of your rental property with another, you’ll need to divide the income and expenses according to your legal interest in the property.

Increase your knowledge

The ATO website contains a wide range of useful information, including an in depth guide to rental properties along with real-life case studies. for further information visit www.ato.gov.au/rental.

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