by Marisa Wright

Created on: May 19, 2007

Preparing your house for sale - how far do you go? The main thing is to know your objective - which is to make your house so welcoming, buyers can't wait to move in!

Unless you've recently done a major renovation, your house will look lived-in. There will be scratches and dents everywhere, worn carpet, chipped paintwork, etc. Maybe your kitchen and bathroom are overdue for replacement.

There are plenty of people who will tell you that to maximise your sale price, you must repaint all the walls, maybe even replace that dated bathroom. But you'll find just as many people who will tell you to leave everything as is, because (a) you may pick colours and styles the new buyer won't like, and (b) you may increase the sale price of your house, but not by enough to pay for the work you did.

Who is right? The jury's still out. But the fact is, you're probably stressed enough as it is, without embarking on major do-it-yourself projects. And let's not start to work out whether you can afford the time or the money! So the most practical approach is often to accept what you have and work on the detail.

It's rather like your own face. Most of us can't afford the time, energy and money for plastic surgery, so we use cosmetics to enhance what we have. To give your home a cosmetic makeover:

1. Declutter. Think about how people are going to walk through your home during an inspection. Remember, buyers are going to be gazing around the room as they walk. If they're constantly having to stop to pick their way around furniture, it will make them uncomfortable, and you don't want them to have any negative feelings. Try to arrange your furniture so there's a flow from room to room. Remove any unnecessary pieces, especially low items like occasional tables which people could trip over. Ideally, these should be sent off to a storage facility or to a friend's garage, rather than dumping them in your own garage (you want your garage to look good, too!).

2. You're going to have to pack things up soon, anyway, because you're moving - so start now! Pack away any clothes, linen, crockery, toys, ornaments etc you can live without between now and your move. Boxing up the small stuff will empty your cupboards which makes them look more spacious! It may also enable you to clear out some more furniture - bookcases, storage chests etc.

2. It's worth buying new towels to complement your bathroom's decor. Keep the benchtops in both bathroom and kitchen clear - if you have attractive pots or a nice bathroom

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