How to Prepare Your Home for Sale: A Checklist for SA Sellers

Preparing your home for sale mostly comes down to three things: fix the small faults buyers notice, clean and clear it so the rooms look their real size, and make it easy to picture living there. None of it has to be expensive, and the best place to start is usually a walk through with your agent before you spend anything.

This checklist covers what to do before the photos and the first inspection, room by room, and what can safely wait.

Start with an appraisal, before you spend money

It’s tempting to repaint, re-carpet or renovate a kitchen before selling. Sometimes that pays off; often it doesn’t. Before committing to anything bigger than a weekend’s work, get an agent through the property. They can tell you what buyers in your area expect at your price point, which jobs are worth doing, and which ones buyers will happily take on themselves.

A free sales appraisal is a good time to ask: “If you were me, what would you fix first?”

Fix the small things buyers notice

Buyers walk through looking for reasons a home might cost them money later. Small, visible faults suggest bigger hidden ones, even when there aren’t any. Before you list, work through:

• Dripping taps, running toilets and slow drains
• Blown light globes, loose switch plates and power points
• Doors that stick, catch or don’t latch, and loose handles
• Cracked or missing tiles, lifting edges on flooring
• Torn flyscreens, broken blinds and curtain tracks
• Marks and scuffs on walls (touch-up paint goes a long way)
• Gutters, downpipes and anything hanging loose outside

If you’re unsure whether something is cosmetic or a sign of a bigger problem, it’s worth getting it checked. Many buyers will arrange a building inspection, so it’s better to know about an issue before it shows up in their report.

Declutter and depersonalise

Clutter makes rooms look smaller and photos look busy. Aim for surfaces that are mostly clear and rooms with enough space to walk through easily.

• Pack away anything you won’t need for the next few months: spare furniture, out-of-season clothes, collections, the overflow in cupboards and the garage. Buyers do open cupboards.
• Clear kitchen and bathroom benches back to a few items.
• Take down most family photos, kids’ artwork and fridge magnets, so buyers can picture themselves there.
• Remove one or two pieces of furniture from crowded rooms.

A short-term storage unit, or a friend’s garage, is often worth it for the length of the campaign.

Clean properly, once, before photos

A deep clean before the photos sets the standard you’ll keep up through the campaign. Pay particular attention to:

• Windows, inside and out, and window tracks
• Ovens, rangehoods and splashbacks
• Grout, shower screens and exhaust fans
• Skirting boards, light fittings and ceiling fan blades
• Carpets (a professional clean if they need it)
• Odours: pets, cooking, damp or smoke. Air the house and deal with the source rather than covering it up

Outside and first impressions

The street view is the first photo many buyers see, and the first thing they see in person.

• Mow, edge, weed and trim back anything overgrown, especially around paths, windows and the letterbox
• Clean the front door, house number and entry, and replace a worn doormat
• Clear bins, hoses, toys and building materials out of sight
• Sweep paths, driveways and outdoor living areas, and set up outdoor furniture as somewhere to sit
• If the fence, gate or front door is tired, a coat of paint is one of the cheaper ways to lift the whole frontage

Room by room for photos and inspections

Living areas: arrange furniture to show the size of the room and how it flows. Open the curtains and blinds, turn on the lights, and keep it neutral.

Kitchen: clear benches, clean the appliance fronts and put the dish rack away. A bowl of fruit is about as far as styling needs to go.

Bedrooms: make the beds neatly with plain linen, clear the bedside tables and keep the floors clear.

Bathrooms: fresh towels, a clear vanity and toilet lid down. Put away toiletries and cleaning products.

Study or spare room: show it as one clear purpose. A room that’s half office, half storage reads as a storage room.

Inspection day

Before each open inspection:

• Open curtains and blinds, and turn on lights, even during the day
• Set the temperature: warm in winter, cool in summer
• Put pets somewhere else for the inspection, with their bowls, beds and litter trays out of sight
• Lock away valuables, medication, keys and personal paperwork
• Do a quick tidy and empty the bins

It’s usually best if you’re not home while buyers walk through. They’ll stay longer and talk more openly with the agent.

Paperwork to get started early

In South Australia, a vendor’s statement (Form 1) has to be given to buyers, and your conveyancer or solicitor usually prepares it. Bringing them in early, along with documents like council approvals for any additions, means paperwork doesn’t hold things up once you have a buyer. The SA Government’s guide to buying and selling property has more on how the process works, and the Act itself is published by the state.

What can usually wait

You don’t have to fix everything. Big renovations, new kitchens and bathrooms, and changing the layout are rarely worth starting just to sell. Buyers often have their own plans, and the work can delay your sale. Talk it through with your agent first.

Ready to talk about selling?

If you’re thinking about selling in Adelaide or Mount Gambier, book a free sales appraisal. We’ll walk through the property with you, give you a realistic price guide based on recent sales nearby, and tell you which jobs are worth doing first. You can also read how a sale works with APN Real Estate, or visit the seller hub.