Updated February 24, 2020
With peak selling season upon us and housing prices on the rise, now is the time invest in your home to capitalize on its value. These simple recommendations are proven to pay off. Staging the interior and exterior helps optimize a buyer’s first impression of your home.
In countdown fashion…
#10 – Half-empty Closets
Storage is something every buyer is looking for and can never have enough of. Remove half of the items from your closets, then neatly organize the items remaining. Overly stuffed closets can lead buyers to think there is not enough storage space in the home.
#9 – Lighten and Brighten
Maximize the light in your home. Good and ample light is one detail many buyers focus on when shopping for their next home. Take down drapes, clean the windows, replace old or dark lampshades, add lamps to dark rooms with limited window light, increase the wattage of your light bulbs and trim any oversized bushes outside to let in more natural light. Making your house bright and cheery will appeal to buyers, making it more sellable.
#8 – Hire a Seller Specialist
You can lose money fast by hiring the wrong real estate agent or not hiring one at all. Make sure you work with a Seller Specialist, a real estate agent dedicated solely to marketing and selling your home, who is knowledgable about the local market and who has a marketing and design approach to properly showcase your home. A successful Seller Specialist will keep you informed of market activity and proactively manage the sale of your home, strategizing to achieve your key priorities. Also important is to find a Seller Specialist who embraces technology – a tech-savvy agent has many tools to get your house sold.
#7 – Conceal the Critters
You might think a cuddly dog will warm the hearts of potential buyers, but this is not always the case. Allergies, bad experiences, and hygiene preferences can impact a buyer’s comfort level with animals indoors. Buyers typically don’t want to walk into a home and see a bowl full of dog food, smell a kitty litter box or have tufts of pet hair stuck to their clothes. Keep animals and their associated toys, food, bedding, etc tucked away or just take these items and the pets with you when leaving the house for showings.
#6 – Don’t Over-Upgrade
Quick repairs before selling almost always pay off; mammoth makeovers, not so much. You probably won’t get your money back if you do a huge improvement project just before putting your house on the market. Instead, do updates that will pay off and get you top dollar. Put a new fresh coat of paint on the walls. Clean the curtains or replace outdated curtains with new window treatments. Replace outdated or worn door handles and cabinet hardware, make sure closet doors are on track, repair leaky faucets and clean grout.
#5 – De-clutter and De-personalize
One of the most important tasks when selling your house is to de-personalize. The more personal items in your house, the less potential buyers can imagine themselves living there. Remove excess belongings by putting them into storage or donating items you no longer need to a charitable organization. Items such as family photos, memorabilia collections and personal keepsakes should be put out of sight. We guide our sellers on staging to arrange your furniture and decor to best showcase the floor plan and maximize the use of space.
#4 – Improve Curb Appeal
When a buyer drives up to your house, they should be impressed by what they see – not discouraged. Mow the lawn, remove any weeds, and add fresh mulch or pine straw beds. Trim any trees or shrubs blocking the windows. Pressure wash the house, porches, driveways, sidewalks and patios. Paint mailbox and post if faded. A fresh coat of paint on the front door and surrounding trim creates a great initial impression.
#3 – Kitchens and Baths Sell Homes
Many buyers will select a home to purchase based on the kitchen; seeking kitchens with open floor plans, granite or quartz counters and stainless appliances. Spending a few thousand dollars to replace countertops may prevent a buyer from knocking $10,000 off the asking price if a kitchen looks dated. The fastest, most inexpensive kitchen updates include painting and new cabinet hardware. Use a neutral-color paint so you can present buyers with a blank canvas where they can start to envision their own style.
#2 – Show Ready
Make sure your home is “show ready” at all times. You never know when your buyer is going to walk through the door. Keeping your home in “show ready” condition will promote a clean, fresh, well-maintained home that buyers will have a hard time turning down. Don’t leave dishes in the sink, take out trash, make the beds, keep the bathrooms sparkling and make sure there are no dust bunnies in the corners. It may take some daily effort to maintain, but these efforts will get your house sold faster and for more money. Leave some lights on and blinds open so it is bright and welcoming.
#1 – First Impressions are EVERYTHING
You know the saying: you never get a second chance to make a first impression. This couldn’t be more true than when selling real estate. Quality pictures of your home are a must. Over 90% of buyers will first see your home online. If the pictures do not appeal to buyers, they likely won’t take the next step and make an appointment to see your home in person. Focus on photography to properly frame and showcase your home, including still and drone photos, as well as twilight photos for a evening view of the home. Additionally, some homes may need drone video, or grass greened up, or virtual staging of key rooms if he home is vacant. Marketing should optimize how each individual home looks online!
Contact a Path & Post Seller Specialist today to help you sell your home for more!
