Get Your Home Auction Ready: A Maintenance Checklist for Bayside Sellers

Across Bayside Melbourne, from Brighton and Hampton down to Mordialloc and Parkdale, most homes still sell under the hammer. That means buyers form their opinion in the few minutes they spend walking through an open. Small faults stand out, and they give people a reason to bid lower or hold back.

The good news is that a lot of the work is straightforward if you stay on top of it. Here is the checklist we run through with owners before their property goes to market.

Start Outside

The exterior is the first thing a buyer sees when they pull up to an inspection, so it sets the tone for everything after.

• Clear and check the gutters. Blocked gutters cause overflow and water stains, and both are easy for a buyer to spot.
• Look over the roof. Cracked or slipped tiles and lifted ridge capping should be sorted before they turn into a leak.
• Trim trees and shrubs. Overgrown branches make a home look neglected and can rub against the roof and walls.
• Clean the windows inside and out. Clean glass lets in more light and instantly lifts a room.
• Give paths, driveways and rendered walls a pressure wash. Years of grime lift off and the place looks cared for.

Work Through the Inside

Once buyers are through the door, they notice the details.

• Check taps, the toilet and under sinks for leaks. A small drip left alone leads to staining and swollen cabinetry.
• Test the smoke alarms and replace flat batteries. It is a safety basic buyers expect to see done.
• Clean or replace heating and cooling filters so the system runs well and the air feels fresh.
• Inspect the caulking and grout around wet areas. Gaps let water in and can lead to mould, which is a red flag at an inspection.
• Look for any signs of pests. If you find droppings or chewed wiring, get a licensed pest controller in early.

Check the Systems and Appliances

• Have the heating and cooling serviced. A recent service is a genuine selling point in a Melbourne winter.
• Vacuum the fridge coils so the appliance runs efficiently if it stays with the sale.
• Flush the hot water service. Sediment builds up over the years and shortens its life.
• Test the switchboard and safety switches. Frequent tripping should be looked at by a licensed electrician.
• Clean the dryer vent. Built up lint is both a fire risk and a drag on performance.

Match the Jobs to the Season

Melbourne weather gives you a natural order to work in.

• Autumn: clear leaves from gutters and downpipes and check the heater before the cold sets in.
• Winter: watch for damp and mould in poorly ventilated rooms, and seal draughts around windows and doors.
• Spring: this is prime selling season on the Bayside, so tidy the garden, freshen the paint and get the outdoor areas looking their best.
• Summer: touch up exterior timber that has copped the sun, and service the cooling before the first heatwave.

When to Bring in a Hand

You do not have to tackle all of this yourself. If you are short on time before a campaign, a good painter can knock over the visible jobs quickly and leave the home presenting the way buyers expect. That is the work we do at Fresh Space every week for owners getting ready to sell. Stay on top of the small things and you protect both the value and the sale price of your home.