Our 2-Acre Property Selling Plan

This page is our shared “control centre” for getting the house and 2 acres ready for sale. We’re:

• Doing a DIY sale through PropertyNow (no agent).
• Using a professional house stager.
• Hiring a photographer with drone.
• Spending minimally: hybrid flooring + interior paint + essential repairs only.
• Working on a relaxed 6–12 month timeline.

1. Overview & Phased Timeline

Goal: Present a clean, fresh, modernised home (without renovating the world), showcase the land well, and sell at a balanced, realistic price via DIY listing.

Phase 1 (Months 1–2): Declutter & Clear

• Declutter the house room-by-room:
  • Entry, lounge, dining, kitchen, bedrooms, laundry, bathrooms.
• Declutter sheds and outdoor areas:
  • Remove old equipment, scrap metal, broken furniture, “sometime” piles.
• Sort everything into:
  • Keep – going to the next home.
  • Sell – Marketplace / Gumtree / garage sale.
  • Donate – op shop / Buy Nothing.
  • Tip / Skip – true rubbish.
• Do early tip runs or book a skip bin for momentum.
• Start noting any essential repairs (safety or obvious damage).

Phase 2 (Months 3–4): Line Up Trades & Make Decisions

• Book a house stager early:
  • Ask them to advise on furniture layout, what to keep/remove, and paint colours.
• Choose hybrid flooring:
  • Warm natural oak tone (no greys, no orange).
  • Plan for consistent flooring through main areas.
  • Get 2–3 quotes from installers.
• Select paint colours:
  • Light neutral for walls (e.g. Natural White / Antique White type tones).
  • Crisp white for trims and doors.
  • Get 2–3 painter quotes.
• Confirm which minor repairs we’ll fix (leaks, obvious damage, safety).

Phase 3 (Months 5–6): Floors, Paint & Essential Repairs

• Hybrid flooring installation completed.
• Interior painting finished:
  • Walls, ceilings (if needed), trims and doors.
• Essential repairs done:
  • Leaking taps, broken latches, dangerous steps, cracked power points, ripped flyscreens, etc.
• House given a deep clean after trades have finished.

Phase 4 (Months 7–8): Staging, Photography & PropertyNow Setup

• Professional staging:
  • Stager arranges furniture, décor, soft furnishings.
  • Focus on light, space, lifestyle.
• Photography with drone:
  • Interior shots of all key rooms.
  • Exterior shots of house and outdoor living areas.
  • Drone images showing the 2 acres, sheds, yard layout.
  • Optional twilight images.
• Set up PropertyNow listing:
  • Upload photos.
  • Use listing description template (see below).
  • Set realistic price range.
  • Complete all property details.

Phase 5 (Months 9–12): On-Market, Negotiation & Move

• Launch listing via PropertyNow.
• Manage enquiries and book inspections.
• Keep house and yard in “inspection ready” baseline condition.
• Use simple, calm scripts with buyers (see inspection section below).
• Review offers with our solicitor/conveyancer.
• Respond to building & pest issues reasonably (price adjustment vs minor fixes).
• Once unconditional:
  • Book removalists.
  • Final packing, yard tidy and final clean.
  • Organise settlement handover.

Note: The timeline is flexible. If we move faster or slower, we just slide tasks along the phases rather than stress about exact months.

2. Timeline Calendar Summary (At a Glance)

Timeframe	Main Focus	Key Tasks
Months 1–2	Declutter & Clear	House declutter, sheds declutter, tip runs / skip bin, note essential repairs.
Months 3–4	Decisions & Quotes	Choose stager, choose hybrid flooring, choose paint colours, get flooring & painter quotes, finalise repair list.
Months 5–6	Upgrades	Install hybrid floors, complete interior painting, do essential repairs, deep clean.
Months 7–8	Staging & Photos	Stager installs / styles, photographer (incl. drone), prepare PropertyNow listing.
Months 9–12	On Market & Move	Listing live, inspections, negotiate offers, building & pest, unconditional contract, move and settlement.

3. Spreadsheet-Style Master Checklist

You can copy this into a spreadsheet (Excel, Google Sheets) and add dates / colour-coding as needed.

Task	Phase	Person Responsible	Target Date	Status / Notes
Declutter lounge, dining and entry	Months 1–2
Declutter kitchen (cupboards, benches, pantry)	Months 1–2
Declutter bedrooms	Months 1–2
Declutter laundry and bathrooms	Months 1–2
Declutter sheds and outdoor storage	Months 1–2
Arrange skip bin / plan tip runs	Months 1–2
List larger items for sale (Marketplace / Gumtree)	Months 1–2
Book consultation with house stager	Months 3–4
Confirm staging scope and cost	Months 3–4
Choose hybrid flooring product and colour	Months 3–4
Book flooring installer and dates	Months 3–4
Select interior paint colours (walls and trims)	Months 3–4
Book painter and dates	Months 3–4
Confirm essential repairs list (safety, leaks, damage)	Months 3–4
Hybrid flooring installation completed	Months 5–6
Interior painting completed	Months 5–6
Essential repairs completed	Months 5–6
Deep clean of house after trades	Months 5–6
Book staging install dates	Months 7–8
Stage all main rooms and key outdoor areas	Months 7–8
Book photographer + drone	Months 7–8
Photography and drone session completed	Months 7–8
Engage solicitor/conveyancer	Months 7–8
Set up PropertyNow account	Months 7–8
Write and upload listing description	Months 7–8
Upload photos, confirm listing details	Months 7–8
Listing goes live	Months 9–12
Manage enquiries and book inspections	Months 9–12
Review and negotiate offers with solicitor help	Months 9–12
Handle building & pest outcomes	Months 9–12
Book removalists and plan move	Months 9–12
Final yard tidy and house clean	Months 9–12
Settlement and handover	Months 9–12

4. Room-by-Room Pre-Staging Guide

This is what we want done before the stager arrives, so they can focus on styling, not moving junk.

Entry / Hallway

• Remove coat racks overloaded with items.
• Clear shoe piles; keep 1–2 pairs only or move them entirely.
• Remove excess wall art and personal photos.
• Clean walls, light switches and door handles.

Lounge / Living Room

• Remove one piece of furniture if the room feels crowded.
• Clear coffee tables and side tables (one or two simple items only).
• Pack away collections, ornaments and family photos.
• Hide visible cords and power boards where possible.
• Dust skirting boards, clean windows and tracks.

Dining Room

• Clear the table completely (stager can add centrepiece later).
• Remove extra chairs that crowd the space.
• Declutter any nearby sideboard or hutch (leave just a couple of items).
• Ensure good traffic flow around the table.

Kitchen

• Clear 80–90% of benchtop items.
• Remove fridge magnets, notes, photos and calendars.
• Organise pantry and under-sink area (buyers often peek).
• Remove rarely used appliances from benches.
• Clean oven, cooktop, splashback and cupboard fronts.

Bedrooms

• Remove excess furniture to make rooms feel larger.
• Pack away clothes not needed in the next few months.
• Clear bedside tables to lamp + 1 book or similar.
• Use neutral bedding (stager can add cushions/throws).
• Clear items from under beds if visible.

Bathrooms

• Clear all personal items from vanity and shower.
• Store daily items in baskets under the sink or a cupboard.
• Clean grout, tiles, mirrors and shower screens.
• Remove bathmats and toilet brushes for photography; keep them minimal for inspections.

Laundry

• Clear tops of machines.
• Remove spare bottles and clutter from open shelves.
• Store detergents neatly or behind doors.
• Keep laundry basket to one, and make sure it’s not overflowing.

Sheds & Outdoor Areas

• Remove broken tools and unused equipment.
• Stack remaining items neatly on shelves or against walls.
• Ensure walkways are clear so buyers can easily walk through.
• Remove obvious rubbish piles from around sheds and fences.

5. Staging Checklist (For Stager + Us)

This is a shared reference for what we want staging to achieve.

General Staging Goals

• Light, airy and spacious feel.
• Highlight lifestyle: relaxed, country, calm.
• Show how each room is used (no “mystery rooms”).
• Make furniture arrangement easy for buyers to imagine themselves living here.

Stager To-Do (with Our Input)

• Select neutral, modern furniture pieces that suit the age and style of the home.
• Use soft textiles (rugs, cushions, throws) to warm up rooms.
• Add greenery or simple plants to key areas.
• Style kitchen with minimal, attractive items (e.g., chopping board, small plant, bowl of fruit).
• Style main bedroom as a calm retreat with layered bedding.
• Set up outdoor seating or dining to show how to enjoy the acreage.

Our Responsibilities Before/After Staging

• Have all decluttering and cleaning completed.
• Ensure hybrid floors and painting are finished.
• Agree on which of our current pieces stay and which are stored/removed.
• Maintain the staging look as much as practical while the house is on the market.

6. Acreage House-Staging Style Guide

This guide keeps the overall “look and feel” consistent with what acreage buyers expect and love.

Overall Style

• Warm, natural and relaxed rather than ultra-modern or city-sleek.
• Neutral base colours with texture added via timber, linen, woven baskets, and greenery.
• Hints of country / lifestyle without going full “farm theme”.

Colour Palette

• Walls: light neutrals (off-white, warm white).
• Floors: warm oak hybrid.
• Soft furnishings: soft greens, beiges, gentle blues, charcoal accents.
• Avoid very bright or loud colours as the main feature.

Key Messages for Buyers (Visually)

• This property is easy to live in now.
• There is space to spread out and enjoy the land.
• The home feels solid and cared for, with room to improve over time.
• The acreage is manageable, not overwhelming.

Outside Presentation

• Mowed/slashed paddocks to show usable land.
• Defined areas for parking, sheds, and possible animal spaces.
• Simple outdoor furniture: a few well-placed pieces rather than lots of items.
• Clear paths and driveways, tidy entry and verandahs.

7. PropertyNow Listing Description Template

This is a starting point. You can tweak the details (bedrooms, bathrooms, sheds, location wording, etc.) before you paste it into PropertyNow.

Headline

Peaceful 2-Acre Lifestyle with Freshly Updated Home – Ready for Its Next Chapter

Main Description

Set on a private 2-acre block, this well-loved home offers the perfect balance of comfort, space and possibility. Freshly updated with new hybrid flooring and a light, neutral interior repaint, it’s move-in ready with plenty of scope for you to add your own touches over time.

The house feels warm and welcoming, with a practical layout and staged interiors that make it easy to imagine everyday life here. Outside, the land is usable and inviting – ideal for pets, gardens, pottering in the sheds, or simply enjoying the peace and privacy of acreage living.

Property Highlights

• Freshly installed hybrid flooring in a warm, modern tone
• Interior repainted in light, neutral colours for a bright, airy feel
• Solid, well-built home with excellent bones and comfortable living spaces
• Approx. 2 acres of usable land – room for pets, gardens, projects and more
• Sheds and storage areas for tools, hobbies or extra vehicles
• Established trees and open lawn areas for shade and play
• Plenty of off-street parking and easy access for trailers or caravans
• Quiet, private location with the convenience of town and services within reach

This is an ideal property for anyone chasing a relaxed lifestyle with space around them, without the pressure of taking on a full renovation on day one. Move in, enjoy the comfort and the land as it is now, and gradually shape it into the acreage retreat you’ve been imagining.

Note: here you can add extra details – number of bedrooms/bathrooms, water tanks, septic, solar, fencing, etc.

8. What to Say at Buyer Inspections

This section is for keeping conversations with buyers calm, clear and consistent. It’s written so either of you can run an inspection without feeling like you need to “sell” hard.

Welcoming Buyers

Simple greeting options:

• “Hi, I’m <Name>. Thanks for coming to have a look today. Feel free to wander through, and if you’ve got any questions as you go, just ask.”
• “Welcome. The house is open – you’re welcome to explore inside and around the yard. I’ll be here if you want to know anything about the property.”

How to Describe the Property

Key points to cover naturally:

• “We’ve recently updated the floors to hybrid and had the interior painted in neutral colours, so it’s easy to live in now and also easy to change later if you want to.”
• “The land is about 2 acres, mostly usable, and we’ve kept it fairly low-maintenance.”
• “The sheds have been really handy for storage and projects.”
• “It’s been a comfortable home for us, and there’s still plenty of scope if someone wanted to modernise further.”

Talking About Price (If Asked)

• “We’ve priced it based on recent acreage sales nearby and the condition of the house. We’re aiming for a fair, realistic figure for both sides.”
• “If you’re interested, you’re welcome to put an offer in writing via email and we’ll consider it carefully.”

Handling “What’s Wrong With It?” Questions

• “It’s an older home, so it’s not brand new, but we’ve taken care of the main things and kept it well maintained.”
• “Like any acreage property, there’s always room to improve or personalise, but it’s very liveable as it is.”

Encouraging Offers Without Pressure

• “If you feel it could work for you, the next step is just to send your offer details through and we can go from there.”
• “We’re happy to consider reasonable offers and work towards a settlement date that suits everyone.”

Finishing Up

• “Thanks for coming to have a look. If any questions pop up later, feel free to email or call – we’re happy to help.”

The main idea: stay calm, honest and matter-of-fact. You’re not an agent; you’re simply showing the home and land and letting buyers see if it fits them.