How to make an older home stand out to buyers
When you drive north of Melbourne’s CBD, many suburb streets are lined with those quintessentially Australian Victorian era homes. Intricate lacework adorns the front balcony and whether brick rendered, brightly coloured or anything in between, these charming properties are iconic fixtures of Melbourne architecture.
They’re also, however, very old – dating back to the late 1800s. When you’re preparing your Melbourne home for sale, that might seem like a roadblock, but there are many things you can do to make your older home stand out (even to younger buyers).
Elsewhere in Melbourne, massive residential skyrises dominate the real estate market. Consider the Forrest Hill Precinct in South Yarra, where 3,000 people live within just eight hectares, according to Urban Melbourne.
Know the bad, emphasise the good
Those buyers looking to break the cookie cutter mould are the ones likely to fall for your older home, so make sure you stress unique selling points, but don’t skim over common reservations.
One such reservation might be that older homes – and particularly Victorians – are not well lit. To help buyers overlook this, emphasise which rooms are in the front of the house. A living room that gets plenty of sunlight will make your home more attractive to buyers, as will features like decorative trim or restored timber flooring.
Rooms that gets plenty of sunlight will make your home more attractive to buyers.
Offer prospective buyers peace of mind
Many buyers fear that an older home will require costly maintenance.
Many buyers fear that an older home will require costly maintenance.
To mitigate their concerns, inspect your home thoroughly before putting it on the market so your agent can talk to your buyers openly and honestly about the property’s condition. Although you may not want to front the cost, it may be a deal maker to take care of some of the bigger jobs before showing the home.
The inspection might also show that your home is in better condition than one might expect from its age. What doesn’t need to be done will also be a great talking point during viewings.
Location matters to buyers
Constructed before Melbourne developed their award winning public transport system, Victorian homes tended to be built closer to the city centre. Their original owners needed to be close to the CBD for work, transportation and access to amenities – quite like your buyers today …
To make the sale, stress location. If you’re lucky enough to own a house in the northern suburbs, you already know how easy it is to get around and how many shops, restaurants, cafes and recreation areas are right in your backyard. Make sure your buyers know this too!
Thinking about selling your home – old or new? The team at Nelson Alexander can help. We have years of experience selling property throughout Melbourne’s northern suburbs, and know what it takes to distinguish your property from the rest.
