Tara Dennis helps you sell your home for the best price and in the fastest possible time by using the Check List (see our fact sheet) which is full of great tips and advice.

Using the checklist

Bedroom

The bedroom shown in our segment looked okay, but Tara wanted a cleaner, brighter and fresher look. She replaced the patterned bed linen with clean, crisp white sheets and cover, installed a mirroropposite the window to reflect the light and added a vase of fresh flowers. (Tip: it's always a good idea to leave the lights on during inspections.)

Entry

The entrance hall of the house was bare. Tara added a rug to warm up the floorboards, a console table with a potted plant and a few knick-knacks, and hung a dramatic piece of artwork on the wall.

Kitchen

Although the kitchen had seen better days, the owner didn't want to renovate in case of over-capitalisation (this is something that should be checked with a real estate agent or advisor). However, there were a few simple things that could be done to revamp the kitchen. They included making sure that the benches were clean and clear, keeping appliances to an absolute minimum, putting fresh fruit in the fruit bowl, changing the knobs on the drawers and cupboards, putting a tablecloth on the table and adding fresh flowers and other decorative touches. And never leave dirty dishes in the sink!

Cost and availability

600 x 300 mirrors, from $50, or $110 fitted
Kitchen metal drawer handles, from $5.99 for a pack of 6, available from hardware stores
Tablecloth $40, runner $23, available from homeware stores
Candles & pebbles $45, available from homeware stores
Chair cushions $180, available from homeware stores

Copyright CTC Productions 2003