Properties vary in type, location and features as widely as the reasons for making the decision to go to market, however one factor remains consistent when it comes to achieving the best possible price.

In an age where instant coffee isn’t fast enough many people don’t have the time or the inkling to fix up, renovate and improve a property. Many people want the work done for them and are happy to pay for it.

Now, there are of course many people who enjoy making good returns from the reverse, by taking that run down property and making it sparkle. No shortage of renovators in today’s market, but these buyers will want to pay a lower price if they have to the work.

So in order to maximise your sale price, presenting your property in its best possible light makes enormous sense, especially when you consider that you are competing with other similar properties for the same buyers.

Some of the key things you can do without going to the extreme of knocking down walls may be: Unclutter – If you are like me and many others you probably have accumulated a fair amount of extra “stuff” over the years and as much as a lot of it has sentimental value to you, it won’t help when buyers have to squeeze past it or trip over it on inspection.

Remove any extra furniture and open your home up. This will help make your rooms look larger and the lack of clutter will make your home look neater.

Remove rubbish and prune – You don’t have to rush out and employ a landscape gardener (although there have been some success stories there), but what we do recommend is cleaning up.

Debris, over grown gardens, uncut lawns and the stock pile of old building products and car parts is a big turn off. Take the time to clean up the outside as well as the inside.

Beware of your homes aroma – Now as an avid animal lover I may not even notice the traces of Labrador odour in the air, but trust me others will. The cleaning up process takes care of some of this, but we recommend you go the extra mile and spray some air conditioner, open the windows an hour or so before inspections and brew some coffee. Some people even recommend baking some bread. Lots of choices here, but the message, how your home smells when someone walks in will affect their impression and more importantly their attraction to it.

Fix the little things – The hole in the door, the letter box lying on its side, the shade cloth torn and blowing in the breeze and that bit of patch work you haven’t got around to painting yet all have an impact on the buyer’s impression and desire to take the next step.

Consider painting – nothing changes the freshness of a property like a fresh coat of paint. It can brighten a room and change the ambience of a home dramatically. Be care full with colours, don’t go too radical, but you will be surprised with the difference it can have.

There are many more ways you can enhance the presentation of your property when you come to sell, but hopefully these few can get you started when next you decide to put your property on the market.