Back in February, the Canadian property market was booming. According to Globalnews.ca, sales were up 27% year on year, with prices up by 15%. Things have changed since then, and anyone looking to sell their home in the future could face far tougher market conditions.

It’s all the more important that you do everything you can to make your home more appealing for potential buyers, whether it is a traditional townhouse in Toronto or a sprawling farmstead in Saskatchewan.

First impressions count

Whether you’re buying a car or a house, you’ll often make up your mind within the first few minutes to see if it’s a good fit. Many potential buyers will even do a drive-by first to assess whether it is worth a viewing, so it is vital to make a good first impression.

A few dollars spent on paint could add thousands of dollars in value to your home. If the outside is well maintained, then buyers will assume the same is true for the rest of your property, and the reverse is also the case. If your exterior is poorly maintained, buyers may not even bother coming in.

Little details can make all the difference, so keep your lawns trimmed and neatly edged, keep your flowerbeds weed-free and hire a pressure washer to blast your drive. One washer-splash can remove years of dirt and grime, leaving your driveway looking fresh and new. If you have a porch, make sure it’s in good condition and replace any damaged or rotting wood.

Help them see themselves there

Your home will sell better if your viewers can picture themselves living there, so take some time to de-clutter and remove your personal stuff. Make sure you show the potential of every room to its fullest. For example, If you have a cluttered box room downstairs, clean it up, and install a computer station to show how it could be turned into a study or a games room for playing Fortnite or following your favourite Canadian sports on Unibet CA.

If your home is clean and tidy, you probably don’t need to redecorate just to get a sale, but you might want to tone down any areas that are more unusual in their décor or colour scheme. Buyers want to see a blank canvas that they can use to create their own home. Just make sure you don’t make it too plain and lifeless, or it could feel bland and uninspiring. Dress to impress but make it tasteful.

The key rooms

The rooms that buyers are most focussed on tend to be the bathroom and the kitchen, so make sure these are looking their best. That doesn’t mean you should replace your bathroom suite or your kitchen units, as you are unlikely to get your money back on your investment. A new kitchen only adds around 57% of its cost to the value of your home, and a new bathroom will make back less than half.

That said, you can spruce them up for a lot less by simply replacing kitchen doors and handles, swapping the bathroom taps for shiny new ones, and accessorising with a few well-chosen items that you can take with you when you go.

Do a dry run

The easiest way to see what needs doing to help sell your home is to put yourself into the shoes of a potential buyer. Drive around the block and pull up outside your home and see what captures your attention. You’ll probably see problems that you have never noticed before. Do the same when you step inside; take a good and critical look around and be honest with yourself about what you would be prepared to let pass and what would be a deal-breaker.

With just a small investment of time and money, you can make your home much more sellable. And that time and money will reward you with a quicker sale at a higher price. So don’t just sit there hoping for the best, get to work, and get your home sold sooner.