Can’t afford the big-gun interior designers or investing thousands to prepare your home for auction? You can follow our low-cost DIY guide to get your home ready for auction in just one day.

Paint the walls

A fresh paint job can be one of the most effective ways of sprucing up a home – it can instantly brighten up a tired property and cover a multitude of wear-and-tear marks. But remember, while you may love your red feature wall, it could turn off some buyers. It’s safest to stick to neutral-coloured walls – this creates a clean slate and helps people visualise what they would do with the space.

Make it spotless

When was the last time you dusted the blinds or the fan blades, scrubbed your oven or gave the laundry a good tidy? To show off your home at its best, make sure you clean all rooms and all surfaces, polish appliances and make windows sparkle. As any real estate agent worth their salt would tell you, a home that looks well maintained is perceived as more valuable than a property that has been neglected.

Declutter

Just like cleaning, decluttering helps buyers focus on the features of the home, rather than any mess or overflowing cupboards. Get a head start on your move by packing excess items in boxes and storing them in your garage or a storage unit.

Take care of repairs

Now is the time to tackle all those repairs you’ve been putting off, and fix that leaky kitchen tap or loose doorknob. Spend an afternoon making sure everything works as it should, to help put buyers’ minds at ease and increase the chance of a quick sale. Look out for chipped bathroom tiles, creaky kitchen drawers and sensor lights that no longer work.

Make minor improvements

Minor tweaks can make a huge difference to the look and feel of a room without breaking the budget. Consider replacing the taps, fixtures and cupboard handles in the kitchen, updating light fixtures or even replacing tired old blinds. You’d be amazed at how much a “faux renovation” can transform a space.

Add greenery indoors

Indoor plants have been a big interior trend for the past couple of years and they’re an effective way to create a fresh and homely feel in the home. Fresh flowers at inspections are also a good way of brightening a room.

Improve your kerb appeal

Just as the inside needs to be sparkling, the exterior also needs to look smart to attract those potential buyers. Real estate agents believe kerb appeal can draw more buyers and get your home sold faster so don’t neglect this important area. Trim back any overgrown foliage in the front garden, pull out weeds, plant some affordable and colourful perennials, paint the fence or replace it if it’s seen better days, and either paint or clean the exterior walls to turn your home into the star of the street.Once you’ve ticked off the above list, it’s a good idea to get an opinion from someone else – a real estate agent, a friend or a

Once you’ve ticked off the above list, it’s a good idea to get an opinion from someone else – a real estate agent, a friend or a neighbour – to make sure you haven’t neglected any glaring fix-upsGood luck at auction!

Good luck at auction!