To capture the attention of the right buyers for your property when selling you have to think like one of them. Put yourself in their shoes and ask yourself, “What is on my wish list for my new home?” Understanding this will help you recognise which features you need to accentuate when preparing your home for sale.

Interestingly, what most buyers actually want isn’t just the big ticket items you would expect.

Here are 7 features in a home that matter most to buyers:

1. More than one living area – while it may not be practical to add an extra living room to your home in the lead up to a sale if you have a small space, it is worth highlighting any extra living space (even if it’s only a sunroom) in your marketing. This also applies to open plan living, which is especially appealing to families. Often open plan areas can be worked into 2 living spaces (e.g. a lounge area for the parents and a play area for the kids) with some clever space planning.

2. Renovated or modernised wet areas – kitchen and bathroom renovations are big ticket items that feature prominently on the wish list of most buyers. If you haven’t done a full renovation, it’s worth highlighting any modernisations you have done. For instance, upgrading handles and tapware can do wonders to lift an older kitchen or bathroom.

3. Alfresco living – today’s modern, fast-paced lifestyle calls for a relaxing outdoor space at home. An alfresco area, particularly a covered, all-weather space that is readily accessible from the main internal living area, is high on most buyers’ wish lists.

4. Natural light – the more you can enhance and highlight your home’s natural light when selling, the more appealing it will be to buyers. Open your blinds and curtains and let the light in on home open days and inspections. There’s nothing less inviting than a buyer entering a dark home with all the lights on in the middle of the day.

5. A backyard – it doesn’t have to be big. Even a small yard with a lawn just big enough to kick a ball or play with the family pet is appealing to buyers with kids and/or fur babies. If your home is more suited to the downsizer market, the lower the maintenance of the backyard, the more appealing it will be.

6. Storage – Everyone loves a home with plenty of storage because it makes it so much easier to keep the place tidy. So make sure all the storage spaces in your home, from linen closets and built-in robes to workshops and garden sheds, are prominently featured in your marketing.

7. Generously sized bedrooms – If your home’s bedrooms are all large enough to fit double or queen sized beds, ensure your marketing says so. Better still, if your home is to be professionally styled, put a double bed in at least one of the minor bedrooms so buyers can see this for themselves.

As long established local real estate professionals we know what buyers want and work hard to showcase those features in your professional photographs and marketing copy.

Contact us to learn more.