
Sell your home fast and at highest price

Sell your home fast and at highest price
By Sales & Marketing Team at GoldfishSell your home fast and at highest price
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CHECKLIST – Move-in and out cleaning
By Asset and Property Management DepartmentIt is always a stressful time when moving in or out of the property. There are lots of things to manage so this transition can be smooth and without any stress. Our intention is to undertake a FINAL INSPECTION to prepare an EXIT CONDITION REPORT based on the ENTRY CONDITION REPORT of your rental property as soon as possible after you hand your keys in at our office.
It is better to WALK through the PROPERTY on the DAY when you are HANDING OVER the KEYS… schedule a meeting for the day with one of the Property Managers. You will need to ensure that the items on the CHECKLIST listed below have been given due attention to make it presentable:
General:
- Carpet steam cleaning to be carried out by a professional contractor - a receipt will be required Hire machines are not acceptable; Highly recommend MUST be booked for the day before you handover the key;
- Pest control for fleas is required when a dog or cat has been kept or permitted on the premises;
- Clean all windows, doors, sliding doors, window tracks, fly screens, and security screens;
- Vacuum all sliding door tracks and wipe;
- Sweep and mop all floors, removing marks;
- Clean light fittings, remove all cobwebs (remove light fittings and wipe out dead bugs);
- Clean marks off walls and light switches;
- Wipe down and remove all dust from skirting boards;
- All curtains and blinds to be taken down and cleaned;
- Window & window sills to be cleaned inside and out;
- Clean all ceiling fans (is applicable);
- Please turn off the main power switch in the electrical meter box;
Kitchen
- Inside and outside all cupboards and doors
- Inside, outside, and around the stove, grill, and oven
- Inside, outside and behind refrigerator and dishwasher
- Exhaust fans and filter
- Sink, especially drain holes
- Rangehood and filter (filter can be removed and cleaned)
Bathroom
- All floors, mirrors, windows, and window tracks
- Inside and outside all cupboards
- Toilet, bath, glass screens, and sink
- Grouting to be free of all soap, residue, and mildew
- Clean inside built-in wardrobes and mirrored doors (wipe over scuff marks)
- Clean all ceiling exhaust fans in bathrooms & toilets
Laundry Area
- Inside, outside and behind the washing machine, rinse out the filter.
- Inside, outside and behind the dryer, remove lint.
- Clean laundry tub (inside the bottom cupboard of the tub)
- Clean ceiling exhaust fans.
Alfresco or Outdoor pergola or Veranda
- Sweep and mop, clean railings, and any perplex glass.
- Remove all cobwebs.
Garage or Sheds
- Sweep out and remove any oil residue from the concrete.
- Remove all cobwebs.
- Empty any bins and remove all rubbish (put the bin out if it is full).
- Close garage door.
Front and back yards
- Lawns and gardens to be mowed, gardens weeded and left tidy.
- No rubbish is to be left on the property.
If furnished
- Make sure that all items are in original rooms as per inventory and have been cleaned.
ADDRESS UPDATE: Who needs to know about your current address?
When you move to your new home there will be a number of people and organizations you will need to notify.
The following CHECKLIST includes some of the most common; we suggest you use it as a basis for creating your own personalized list to make a smooth TRANSITION.
Personal
- Family, Friends, and Relatives
- Government Agencies (VicRoads, Taxation Office & Electoral Commission)
- Employer
- Medical (doctor, Medicare, insurance)
- School/university
- Clubs and associations
- Finance (accountants, banks, credit cards, and superannuation)
- Insurance (contents, health, building, motor vehicle, special items)
- Department stores (accounts, store cards)
- Utility Connections (Electricity, Water, Gas, and Telephone)
- News or Travel agency
The Day when you hand over the keys
- Do a final walk-through with this checklist to ensure your property is in the correct handover state to avoid any tenancy disputes with your rental bond.
- Your carpets should be professionally cleaned by today;
- External areas returned to the same condition as the beginning of the lease;
- Bins emptied or placed out on collection point securely;
- Organize your keys and remote controls for all locks are ready to be returned;
Date of disconnection:
Make sure Electric and Water connections must be scheduled for disconnection for the next day of vacation date so Estate Agent can ensure all electricity’ equipment are in working order, and you take picture of meter readings;
Mail/Letter Diversion: consider the letter and mail diversion options at the local post office or online to divert for at least 2months so you won’t miss any important communication.

How to prepare your property for SALE
By Sales TeamRemember, first impressions always make difference. If you like to strive for the highest possible price for your valuable property. Consider, few key areas to focus on when preparing your home for sale:
1. Pay basic repairs - One of the biggest turn-offs for buyers is wear and tear such as chipped tiles, cracked windows, scuffed paintwork, stained carpets, and other obvious signs of damage. These unsightly areas instantly alert buyers there is work required, which can diminish their initial enthusiasm for your property and lower the price they are prepared to pay.
Discuss with your agent which areas you should overhaul before holding open homes. You want to ensure you are increasing appeal without overcapitalising.
2. Clean and declutter - Study other houses currently on the market and you will see they have been decluttered, cleaned thoroughly, and may even have been styled to look modern and pristine.
Removing lots of clutter makes the prospective buyer able to see the room properly while more importantly, making the room appear larger.
Cleaning the house, even hidden areas such as under the sink, makes the house look well-cared for. This gives the buyer a subliminal impression that the house has been well-maintained and there should be no hidden problems.
3. Stagging your home – Stagging or styling is another instant facelift that can give your property a fresh look which appeals to buyers. You can hire a stylist to take care of this for you or hire furniture and accessories and do it yourself.
How to fix up a home before putting it on the market.
If you’re handy and have good DIY skills, you can undertake many of the small jobs around the house yourself, bringing it to peak condition and ready for sale. If not, you can hire a local handyman to help you.
Walk through the house with a notepad and create a list of all the areas which need improvement.
Let’s start your own initial assessment to check:
- Front fence - Is it in good condition? Does it need vines pulled away, a paint job or repairs?
- Front lawn - Is it lush and tidy?
- Pathway - Are there cracks that need to be fixed? Would paving paint give it a nice facelift?
- Front door -Is a new door required, or does it need to be painted?
- Windows - Are they clean and do the surrounds need filling or painting?
- Facade - Does it need to be pressure-washed or repainted?
- Interior walls - Are they all looking pristine or freshly painted in neutral tones?
- Architraves - Are they chipped, dented, or need new paintwork?
- Flooring - Are the carpets clean and in good condition? Are there floorboards underneath which can be polished?
- Kitchen - Are the cabinets in good condition? Would painting them improve and modernise the space? Would replacing the benchtop make it look contemporary? Does the splashback need to be replaced?
- Bathrooms - Are the tiles in good shape? Does the grouting need to be cleaned or replaced? If the tiles are dated, would they be better painted with tile paint?
- Laundry - Is there ample storage and useful counter space?
- Back yard - Are the plants trimmed and garden beds weeded? Would planting some flowers and pots of colour add some wow factor?
- Pool - Is it clean, properly fenced, and surrounding areas furnished with an inviting setting?
These are some of the areas to consider revamping to create a positive impression of a well looked after house. Talk to your agent about any areas needing improvement, but make sure you don’t overcapitalise.
Consider value adding UPGRADES
Not all renovations will increase your profit margin when you come to sell your property. Some projects will cost more than they will ever return. So, what are the most lucrative projects to add value to your home and give you the best outcome?
1. Exterior - Buyers get the first impression of your home from the exterior. Grab their attention with fresh-looking cladding materials or colours on the facade. Make the home more visually appealing by painting the trims, gutters, fascia and bargeboards. Replacing the front door with a modern door can add a wow factor while painting the existing door adds a pop of colour. Simple landscaping can also make your home look more appealing. Ensure the front garden is tidy, lawns mowed, and flower beds weeded and mulched. Modernise, repair or paint fences, awnings, porticos, and porch details, and consider adding a new house number and letterbox to update the exterior. If there’s no fence, consider adding one along the front boundary to add definition.
2. Kitchen - The kitchen, being the heart of the home, is important to buyers. Giving a good impression here could make the difference in a great sale price. You don’t need to replace the entire kitchen, as this can be expensive, and you may risk overcapitalising. Instead, look for ways to bring your kitchen up to date. This could include painting timber and laminate cabinetry, changing the tapware and adding on-trend lighting to modernise the space. Ensure your appliances are in good working order and are clean.
3. Bathroom - Buyers prefer bathrooms to be modern with clean and stylish fixtures and fittings. Although it is easy to overcapitalise here, easy facelifts can make the difference. Replacing the taps and shower head with modern, good quality tapware is an easy update. If the tiles are dated, they can be painted with tile paint for an instant revamp at little cost.
4. Repainting - A fresh coat of paint always gives a home an instant lift, so choose neutral but modern colours. Have consistent colour shades throughout the house to create a modern flow-through effect, as opposed to jarring colours in every other room.
5. Outdoor area - Buyers love indoor-outdoor living as an extension of the house. Creating a well-designed all-weather area can help buyers can imagine themselves living here and enjoying the lifestyle it offers.
6. Neat and tidy backyard
A backyard should be well-maintained and ideally have an entertaining area.
Should you stage or style your house before the sale?
Having a home that does not present well could end up costing you in the long term, so target the styling to showcase your property’s selling points.
An empty house or apartment looks cold and uninviting while a poorly furnished one is a turn-off too. But you can alter the perceptions of your property easily with staging.
Home staging involves bringing furniture and homewares in to create a space that appeals to a broader market. Styled houses not only look more appealing, but they also photograph better – a bonus in today’s competitive market.
You can hire a professional home stager, or if you have an eye for design, you can do it yourself. You must take the emotion out of the equation and look at your home as a prospective buyer would. Fresh, modern, clean, and bright should be your aim. Let's talk to ensure you are getting the best outcome.

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