A Professional Designer’s Tips to sell your home, cottage or investment property faster

Hiring a professional Interior Design Consultant can help sell your House, Condo, Cottage or investment property. Here are some of the best ideas to help sell your space quicker and often at a higher price:

Curb Appeal and First impressions starting with the outside:

• Landscaping and Front Entry: make sure your front yard and entry urns have flowers & plants that are well cared for. Water daily.
• Debris: Sweep away any debris and don’t miss the corners and under the front door mat. Do this daily.
• Entry clutter: Remove any object clutter at your front entry. Your closets will most likely be opened as potential buyers like to see what kind of storage is available.
• Door mat: If your front exterior and interior door mat is not welcoming and in excellent condition, make sure it is. If you do not have one, get an inviting one. A designer can also help you find these types of accessories.
• Lighting: replace any burnt out bulbs and make sure the voltage and lighting levels are the same and not mismatched.
• House Number: make sure it is visible and in good condition.
• Front, side and back Door: make sure they are in excellent working condition, washed, wiped and well maintained. Check that the weather stripping and the hardware are in good working order. It should open and close easily without any draft or security issues.
• Paint touch ups; touch up any chipping and painted areas at your front porch and door entries. This includes all doors, decks, garage, and garden suites.

It’s ok to leave something religious up in your home for showings

Personally when I see a home that shows faith and belief it becomes more appealing to me. Everyone is different. This is your decision and don’t feel forced to eliminate everything. If you feel uncomfortable with removing everything because you were asked to at time of listing, then go ahead and leave it up.

Security

• Taking down your personal family and friend photos is also your decision however for security reasons it is better and safer to remove them. Remember, you will have strangers walking through your home and viewing the interior photos on line. Removing personal photos protects your privacy and keeps your loved ones safe.
• Cameras: Make sure your front and rear cameras are in good working condition. Keep security in take as you will plan to have many visitors.
• Items of Value: remove these from your home and/or keep out of sight in a secured locked area.

Declutter & Beautify

Clear all surfaces as much as possible: Your dining and kitchen table should have nothing on it except for a nice bowl of fresh fruit or a vase of fresh flowers. If ‘fresh’ is not possible, you can show realistic looking faux fruit and/or flowers. Another option might be a beautiful suitable object that is in the centre. All of the bedroom end tables should be clear with only a lamp and perhaps one object or two such as a book, plant or candle for example. A designer can help you with these kind of details if you are not sure. Ania has been helping her clients for over twenty years ensuring simple clean line spaces that are not cluttered.

Clean everything. Make it sparkle!

• Clean all surfaces: Now that all your surfaces are decluttered and clear or very close to completely clear: cleaning, washing, wiping and dusting will be much easier and quicker. Take the time or if you don’t have the time or ability to; hire a professional cleaner. AVA Interior Design can also offer cleaning services to ensure cleanliness before you list your home.
• All mirrors, glass and windows should be sparkling clean from the inside out.
• Clean all window coverings from dusting the blinds and washing the drapery.

Making your space appealing to potential buyers

Make a decision on your own or get a professional designer’s help to determine what stays and what goes. AVA INTERIOR DESIGN can make suggestions of what you can keep during the listing showings and options to rent or buy some new or second hand furniture and accessories if you prefer. Ania can advise you and you make the final decision to suit your budget and sale goals. From simply moving a few of your own items around to create a more inviting space or storing them off site to clear your space to a full removal and replacement, Ania can provide you with options.

The advice of a professional interior designer or decorator is encouraged if you don’t feel you have the eye or time for this. Ania Maternicki of AVA Interior Design can help.

Bring the natural light in

• Window coverings: During showings, open your drapery as wide as possible to let the natural light in. Avoid heavy dark window treatments. Create a light and airy feeling. If your window treatments can use an improvement and replacement; involve a professional designer to help you make the right decisions. AVA INTERIOR DESIGN can help you meet your design goals.
• Mirrors: If you have hanging Mirrors, make sure they are reflecting something that looks nice. For example; If your mirrors reflect your beautiful trees or flowers from your outside they will radiant a more refreshing feeling by bringing your outdoors inside.

Lighting

• Make sure all your lamps, ceiling fixtures and pot lights have matching and working light bulbs. The lighting voltage should be pleasant and not so bright that it is overpowering.
• Replacing some of your lighting fixtures entirely might be money well spent to create a more updated inviting space.
• Lamps: from table lamps to floor lamps: mood ambient lighting can make all the difference. If you would like advice on which of your lamps to keep or where you can add some, AVA INTERIOR DESIGN can advise you.

Cords and Wires

• Wires and cords should be out of site and not visible where possible. Roll up, tuck away or remove completely any loose cables that are not necessary.
• If you are not sure how to do this, Ania can review these easy steps with you during her consultation at your space.

Repairs

Repair anything broken. If any of your appliances, plumbing or electrical fixtures, furniture, art frames, curtain rods, stair spindles, cabinet drawers and so on are broken, fix it, or replace it or remove it if possible.

Exterior and Interior Caulking and Paint

• Caulk any cracked wood trim throughout the inside and outside of your home. Cracks should be repaired.
• Paint or at least touch up: A fresh coat of paint or paint touchup is well worth it. It’s an immediate refresher providing that you choose the right colour for your space. If you are not sure what paint colour to use: call a professional Designer. AVA INTERIOR DESIGN can help you choose the right paint colours and paint sheen for your space. From selecting the paint to painting your space, Ania can help.

Floors

• Clear Floors: Floors should all be clutter free. Don’t leave things lying around that are not part of the decor or that are necessary to be present.
• Rugs and wall-to-wall carpeting: Clean, repair, remove, replace carpet and rugs where needed. Ania can help you make the right choice if you will need a replacement.
• Tiles and Grout: Repair any broken tiles where possible. Deep clean porous tile and clean tile grout.

Closets

• Closet clutter: minimize clothes and items in the closets if it is not already minimal. Donate or discard unwanted items.
• Organize all of your closets: if you don’t have the time, patience or talent for this: AVA INTERIOR DESIGN can help.

Leave space

Leave some space: By leaving an empty shelf here or there whether it be in the bathroom vanities, kitchen cabinetry, or your walk in closet, it means that you are not overstocked and overwhelmed with belongings. It means that should you ever need some extra storage for a guest or yourself, you have it available. Showing this to potential buyers is also useful. Be more instead of having more. Wellness over clutter.

Avoid Air Fresheners. Clean the air instead

• Harsh air fresheners and perfumes are not only bad for you, they can also turn off a potential buyer. Instead of masking the problem, solve it. If the space is clean, it will simply smell clean. If there is mould or mildew, address it by removing it.
• If you would like to gently add to the already clean air in the space you are selling: you can do this with either natural gentle oil diffusers or other pleasant scents such as classic baking. Baking chocolate chip cookies 🍪 or cinnamon buns or cocoa brownies will have an can appealing aroma. Leave some home-baking-love out for the real estate agents and potential home buyers to enjoy.

Create a warming inviting space and finishing final touches:

Ania can help with this by visiting your space again after her initial consultations with you just before it hits the market. Finishing touches are very important.

• Leave out cozy blankets and cushions tastefully placed on your sofas and beds.
• Make sure the beds have fresh crisp bedding with comfy tasteful accents layered within. If you are not sure which colours, Ania can help.
• Bathrooms should have crisp clean towels (preferably white) and a fresh shower curtain if applicable. Vent fans should be cleaned. Remove all products within the shower and bathtub and leave just a few beautiful accents out on display.

The above are just some ideas to begin with. If you are looking for a more thorough interior and exterior home design and decor consultation to improve your upcoming sale of your home, cottage and investment spaces local or abroad: call Ania Maternicki, owner of AVA Interior Design for over 20 years. Established since 2005. Ania will personally attend your space and evaluate in person.

Whether you are selling your home or you plan to stay in it: your home should always feel like a peaceful retreat you return to at the end of the day. Ania Maternicki can help you accomplish this and help relay this feeling onto the potential buyer of your home, cottage or investment property.