There are two ways sellers leave money on the table:

1. They list the home as-is (under-prepared), or
2. They over-capitalise on renovations the market won’t pay for.

Both cost you. The sharp move is the middle ground — five low-cost, high-impact updates that consistently lift a Perth Hills home’s sale price without blowing the budget or delaying your campaign.

Here they are.

1. Paint the interior in neutral tones

The cheapest, highest-impact update you can make. Fresh paint says “this home has been cared for.” It also brightens the space, which matters more in Perth Hills homes where established trees and elevation can make interiors feel darker than they really are.

Stick to: warm neutrals — off-whites, soft greys, pale beiges.

Avoid: strong feature walls, trendy colours that date quickly, anything you personally love but the market won’t.

Approximate cost: $2,000–$5,000 for a professional interior repaint depending on size. One of the highest-returning preparation investments you can make.

2. Declutter and depersonalise

This one is free. Most sellers skip it because it’s emotionally hard.

Buyers need to picture themselves living in your home. They can’t do that when every shelf is covered in your family photos, your trophies, your kids’ artwork, or your collection of anything. Pack it.

Rule of thumb: remove half of everything visible. Empty surfaces. Empty walls. Empty wardrobes — buyers will look inside, and full wardrobes signal a lack of storage.

The home should feel like a hotel-staged version of itself, not a lived-in family scrapbook.

Approximate cost: $0. If you don’t have somewhere to put it, hire a small storage unit for the campaign — usually $50–$100 a week.

3. Sort the kerb appeal

Buyers form an opinion within seconds of pulling up. If the front of your home is tired, you’re climbing a hill before they walk through the door.

Quick wins:

– Mow, edge and weed
– Mulch the garden beds
– Paint or replace the front door
– New letterbox if the existing one is faded
– Pressure-wash the driveway and front path
– Add two large pots with healthy plants by the front door
– Clean the windows inside and out

Approximate cost: $500–$2,000. Returns far more than that on sale day.

4. Minor kitchen refresh — NOT a renovation

This is where sellers most often over-capitalise. A full kitchen renovation rarely returns more than it costs at sale.

What works:

– Replace cupboard handles
– Refresh the splashback if it’s dated
– Replace the tapware if it’s tired
– A coat of paint on tired cupboards
– Deep-clean the oven, rangehood and benches

Approximate cost: $1,000–$4,000 for the whole refresh.

Do NOT rip out and replace the kitchen unless it’s genuinely unusable. The maths almost never works in the seller’s favour.

5. Modernise the lighting

Old pendant lights and yellow bulbs date a home faster than almost anything else. Walk through your home at night and look up. If the fittings are dated, replace them.

The simplest version: replace every bulb with a modern warm-white LED. Brighter, cleaner, instant lift. A few dollars per bulb.

The next step up: for visible fittings — the pendant over the dining table, the vanity lights in bathrooms, the entry light — invest a bit more. Modern fittings are widely available and disproportionately impactful for the price.

Approximate cost: $200–$1,500 depending on how far you take it.

The trap: over-capitalising

What sellers should NOT do before going to market:

– Full kitchen renovation
– Full bathroom renovation
– New flooring (unless the existing is genuinely unsalvageable)
– Pool installation
– Extensions or additions

These rarely return more than they cost. They also delay your campaign by months. If a buyer wants to renovate, let them — and price the home accordingly.

The point of these five updates is to remove buyer objections, not to add features. Buyers pay a premium for a home that’s presented and move-in ready. They don’t pay extra for someone else’s renovation choices.

The truth about presentation

Presentation matters. So does pricing. So does method.

Naked Real Estate averaged 14.01% above list price across 79 settled sales in 2025 and has been ranked on the REB Top 50 Agents WA every year from 2022 to 2025. That premium doesn’t come from any single thing — it comes from a defined process that combines correct presentation, sharp pricing, and the trademarked Select Date Sale® method to create competitive tension between qualified buyers.

Updates help. Strategy is what closes.

Truth. Strategy. Sold.

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Book an appraisal

Thinking of selling? Book an appraisal with Brendan Leahy at Naked Real Estate for a frank discussion about what to fix, what to skip, and what your home is genuinely worth in today’s market.

See our full industry recognition for the complete track record.

As a Real Estate Agency we often get asked when is a good time to sell your property, and while there are many factors that go into this answer we think the current market is ideal if you’re looking to sell quickly and get a great price! 

Want to know why we say that so confidently, then read on.

 

Median House Prices Soar

The median Perth house price has risen again, now officially surpassing the median recorded during the housing boom of 2014. Domain statistics have shown that the price of a Perth home has increased by 1.5% in the first three months of 2022 alone! The Median price for a house in Perth is now sitting at $622,000 compared to the previous record of $616,000 in 2014. 

 

During the pandemic families realized they needed bigger yards, and more space inside and they were happy to pay to upsize. With the Perth borders now open, and interstate buyers running to enter the property market we’ve seen an influx in interest in Perth property to live and invest. This isn’t slowing down either, while we’ve seen an initial rush from interstate buyers and Perth residents moving back home we predict there are still individuals that are keen to enter the market who haven’t made the first step yet. While the property prices smash Perth records, they are still relatively affordable compared to the other capital cities which is why the property shortage won’t ease for a while and why we can confidently say our vendors are getting great prices for their properties and they’re selling in weeks. Perth property overall continues to sell quickly, and produces great prices for sellers. 

 

The President of the Real Estate Institute of WA, Mr. Damian Collins has explained that he believes these conditions will continue for the remainder of the year 

“We don’t anticipate market conditions slowing any time soon, with a further 10 per cent price growth expected in the 2022 calendar year.”

 

2022 Federal Election- How it Affects the Current Market

The above figures can comfort buyers and sellers that are anxious with the incoming 2022 Federal Election. From what both of the major parties have currently announced, neither party has said they will make any major changes to housing policy which could impact property investors, first time buyers or general buyers. Experts are saying that this time around the election should have very little impact on buyer and seller confidence, or market conditions which is a relief for all. In the 2016 and 2019 Elections the proposed changes to negative gearing lead to market doubt, but in the current election there is bipartisan support to hold on to negative gearing which means more certainty for the property market. So even with an upcoming Federal Election, we can see that the Perth Property Market will remain strong.

 

While writing this blog post the Labor party has announced a new shared equity scheme. This would actually make it easier to enter the housing market for individuals earning less than $90,000, or couples earning less than $120,000 that have no property currently. The scheme has 10,000 spots available, and sees the government cover 30-40% of the purchase price by taking part ownership of the property. The percentage is able to be bought back by the homeowner from the Government, or they can leave the shared ownership. The only conditions are to live in the property for two years and, if an owners’ income increases during this period, they would be required to start purchasing more of the property.

 

Are you looking to sell your home? Why not book a free appraisal with one of our agents, and see how your property measures up in the current market.

 

How do you avoid making poor choices and ensure a positive selling experience, while also achieving the best sale price possible?

Learning from other people’s mistakes is a great place to start and these eight blunders are all too common:

1. Choosing an agent for all the wrong reasons

Choosing the right real estate agent is paramount to a successful selling experience. But deciding who to use based solely on the commission they charge or your familiarity with them can be a big mistake.

A reduced commission may be tempting but as with anything in life, you often get what you pay for!

Similarly, using a friend or relative in the industry might put a strain on the relationship if they are not familiar with your area or property type.

Instead: Go for a widely acclaimed, experienced real estate agent that you trust.

Interview a few different agencies and look for someone who is honest, prepared, makes you feel at ease, has a good track record in your suburb and is a great negotiator. Learn more about our Naked Agents here.

2. Don’t micro-manage your agent

It makes it very difficult for the real estate agent when sellers don’t allow them to do their job.

Of course you should have a say in the marketing strategies in use, but be prepared to take their advice on board – after all, you are paying them for their expertise.

If you don’t want to pay for any advertising it could really inhibit the sales campaign, and prevent a great agent from selling your property at the best possible price.

Instead: When you are working with an agent you trust you will value their advice and know that it is coming with the best intentions and experience behind it.

Discuss costs, strategies and accountability with them upfront, and then let the agent do their job properly.

3. Being half-hearted

If you are putting your property on the market just to see if you get a bite, then it is likely going to be reflected in how many buyers actually take the bait.

It also stands to reason that your agent will have the same attitude.

Instead: Decide and commit.

If you definitely are ready to sell than it means that you are ready to do the hard yards of finding a great agent, committing to the marketing process and preparing your house to be on show.

4. Leaving the research up to your agent

A real estate agent has access and experience that makes their opinion very valid but don’t let that be the beginning and end of the story.

Use it as the starting point but don’t rely on your agent for all of your information and market date.

Not only could this lead to disappointment with the price they advise, it gives the agent all the power to make and influence your decisions.

Instead: Do your own research when you are preparing to sell your house.

Start looking at other properties that are for sale in the suburb and what they are listing and more importantly selling for.

This will help you be more realistic when you are discussing prices with your agent and also set your expectations.

5. Revealing that you’re desperate

Buyers seem to be able to sniff out desperation from a mile off and they are all too willing to pounce on it with a cheeky offer.

Some common indicators that all is not well in the vendors’ camp include continually lowering the asking price, and putting your house on the market without quality photos or a tidy street appeal.

As investors, we know that first impressions count and an unattractive curb appeal shows that you’re disinterested in your asset, which can lead buyers to wonder whether the property has other maintenance issues you haven’t addressed?

Instead: Improve your chances at getting a high offer by properly preparing your property for market.

This means allowing time to find the best agent, waiting for good weather for quality photos, gathering market research and if your budget allows it, staging.

Most of all, remember that you don’t need to reveal your reason for selling to any buyer, so just keep it simple and say you are relocating.

6. Selling as-is

While adding a new kitchen for the sake of selling is not always budget friendly and could put you in danger of over-capitalising, foregoing basic tidiness is not an option.

There is a lot you can do to improve the presentation of your investment when you’re selling, without spending a bucket load of money.

Remember: buyers want to be able to imagine themselves living in the house or renting it out to interested tenants, so give them every opportunity to do just that.

Instead: Spend some time cleaning, tidying, repairing, neutralising and staging before you put your property up for sale – ask your agent for his/her opinion on what needs to be done. Check out our blog on Property Presentation for more advice.

If the property is tenanted to less-than-tidy residents, you could even consider paying for a weekly cleaner prior to open inspections so that the property presents in its best light.

7. Ignoring early buyers

We want to believe that an offer will come along and blow us away but the reality is, offers above market value are very rare.

Did you know that the best prices are often achieved in the first weeks of the house being on the market?

The further the sale campaign extends, the more leverage buyers have, as they know the vendor is getting tired of waiting for a sale.

As a result, one of the first questions a buyer usually asks is, “How long has it been for sale?”

Instead: Do the hard work up front with your agent to determine a fair price to put it on the market.

Get the word out about your house and then be prepared to make a quick decision when offers start coming in.

Or if suitable, stage an auction campaign so you can be assured of achieving the best price the local market can support.

8. Covering up problems

Painting over the water damage instead of fixing it might be a good short-term solution to making the house presentable for showings, but it can work against you when buyers start to get serious.

If a buyer notices an issue like that, they quickly become suspicious about other problems the house might have and could decide against making an offer.

Instead: Repair problems properly or be upfront about ongoing issues.

No house is perfect and most potential buyers are willing to negotiate around minor problems.

Selling your investment property can be a demanding time, but if you go in prepared (and with a realistic idea of recent suburb selling prices), you can streamline the process and avoid extra stress.

While there will always be a lot of unknowns when it comes to selling property, whether its in your neighbourhood or located interstate, many variables can be minimised by avoiding these issues and working with an experienced agent.

 

If you would like to discuss your property needs with a Naked Agent, call us on 08 6254 6333

Selling your home will most likely be one of the largest transactions you will be a part of, so it is essential to separate your love/emotion for your home and start looking at it as real estate.

Here are several guidelines to help you, the home seller, avoid making decisions based on your emotions:

1. Avoid pricing your own home, follow your agent’s advice

It is every seller’s dream to get top dollar for his or her property, and sure it is possible, however finding a buyer who is willing to pay above market value for features that you value is not feasible if they don’t value those same things.

Home sellers tend to put a high price on their home due to their emotional attachments which is completely understandable.

Buyers on the other hand do not yet have this emotional connection to the home and will base their value of the home in comparison to others they have seen and what it offers them.

It is crucial to comprehend as early as possible that your home is placed on the market in competition and not isolation.

If your property is priced above market value it becomes a ping pong table as it will attract buyers due to its stunning features and then bounce them off to similar properties that are priced more in line with market value.

It can be a challenging situation to be in, and if you decide to hold out for the highest price, you will likely face one of two results – you could find it difficult to move on, or the potential buyers may think there is something wrong with your property.

Then buyers may then end up offering at lower levels as time passes by.

Think about it, if you were a buyer and you had seen a home that has come on the market for a high price which has then had to lower that price every 2 weeks for 2 months, what would your opinion of that home be?

This situation is sadly more common than you may think.

The longer the property sits on the market, the lower the offers tend to get.

Typically, when a property is released to the market, it will receive the most exposure and interest in the first two weeks.

Buyers who have been searching for a home will possibly view any new homes that appear on the market. If the price is right, you will get bucket loads of people to your open home, which is the perfect storm for a well-informed buyer creating an emotional attachment with your home.

It is at this point the fear of loss kicks in, with all the buyers at your open home this quickly breeds competition which we then use in your favour in order to secure the best price for your home.

2. Sellers attending at the open house – This will make it difficult for buyers to be open and honest

There are many reasons why you would probably want to make an appearance at the open house.

However, being there could make it difficult for the potential buyers to be honest about their opinions on your house which is what you want!

It is a lot easier to obtain honest opinions from potential buyers when the owner is not around.

It also creates a possibility that a buyer may approach you in order to negotiate you down on the price.

Leave it up to your real estate agent to do their job, and trust them when they give you advice, it is out of many years of experience.

3. Taking potential buyers’ comments personally

As the homeowner, you are likely to take it personally when buyers point out every possible flaw concerning your home.

You may think that each view or comment is a complaint against how you have maintained your home over time, which is only natural.

The truth is that each observation from the buyers, while it can be harsh at times, has nothing to do with you, as the home seller.

Therefore, you need not take anything they say personally.

There have been cases where sellers declined some offers, because they took things too personally after receiving negative comments about their home.

While it is sometimes easy to take things personally when selling something that you own, doing so should be avoided as far as possible.

As soon as you decide to put your home on the market, it is essential to start detaching yourself from it on an emotional level.

Real estate transactions are often aggressive and challenging given that sellers want the highest price, while the buyers want the lowest price possible.

For all the above mentioned reasons, home sellers should use experienced and reputable real estate agents to protect them from the entire process (this is how good agents earn their money).

Real estate agents are able to filter relevant information, distinguish the genuine buyers from the tyre kickers and meet with the buyers only when they have received a serious offer.

Emotional things to be aware of as a seller:

• Early bids can often spook you and make you think that you underpriced your property.
• The property is correctly priced when an early offer is close to the asking price, as long as the asking price is similar to the market price.

It is counterproductive to wait for a better offer, as it can lead to a property languishing on the market.

• Negotiations will normally include buyers pointing out each flaw of your property.

While it is certainly disheartening to hear the comments, it is a very good sign.

It typically means that the buyers are serious about the property.

It is essential that you accept that there will sometimes be criticism and recognise it as a valuable negotiating tool.

At the same time, you should avoid taking it too personally and prevent yourself from walking away from a prospective sale due to any type of emotional reactions that you may have.

Naked Agents are always here to help. For any advice contact our team today!