As the property market gets tighter and there’s more competition between sellers, presentation of your property becomes more important than ever.

The best way to get your home ready for sale is to plan well in advance. Start by ordering a LIM report/council files.

Check that everything on your property is compliant with council regulations and if it’s not, get it fixed. Otherwise, you’ll put prospective buyers off.

Next, consider your home’s street appeal. First impressions matter, so keep your lawn and verge lush, trim any overgrown greenery and tidy up whatever is looking tired.

It can be well worth hiring a professional gardener to enhance your curb appeal.

Prepare for photographs, and increasingly video and drone footage, to be taken of your home.

This could include:

• Touching up paint (if repainting, stick to neutral colours)
• Repairing defects like broken windows, door handles and blinds
• Decluttering surfaces, especially in the kitchen
• Removing personal items like family photos from view
• Adding more pot plants
• Freshening up cushions and throws
• Updating bed covers and pillowslips
• Replacing tatty carpets and worn floor coverings
• Improving light fittings
• Cleaning windows, inside and out
• Putting toys, books etc. into storage
• Adding clean folded towels to the bathroom (and removing toothbrushes and other toiletries)

Once your photos have enticed a buyer to come for a viewing, you need to do some additional preparation.

Think about enhancing lighting. Increase the wattage of bulbs in darker areas and remove net curtains (unless modern and in fantastic condition) to allow for more

natural light.

Make sure the house is heated well in advance of a viewing. A relaxed, warm buyer will linger.

Consider brewing coffee or having baking smells wafting through your home.

If your house is empty, think about investing in professional staging as it is much likelier to appeal when it is furnished beautifully.

In a competitive market, and that’s where Central Otago is heading as more houses are offered and take longer to sell, a better presented home will always win over a

poorly presented home.