Spring is one of the ideal seasons to sell your home. With the holidays behind them and schedules opening up, homebuyers are emerging from their winter routines ready to search for their next move. Many are also eager to settle into a new home before the next school year begins. While the spring market is bustling with activity, attracting the right buyer and securing an offer still requires preparation and effort.
Does Your Home Have Curb Appeal?
When potential buyers pull up in your driveway you want to peak their interest before they step out of their car. Enhancing the curb appeal may lead to buyers offering more money for your home, and that’s always a good thing!
Start by removing all clutter around the front door. Throw out broken and old flower pots, dead plants, and old outdoor furniture or anything the would be an eyesore. Replace any broken or loose stepping stones and pavers all around the house. For an affordable alternative, use precast concrete pavers — they’re just as charming as natural flagstones and require less maintenance. Make sure your outdoor lighting is working properly. Check light bulbs and replace them if necessary. Think about replacing the light fixtures and adding solar lights around your walkways.
Rent a pressure washer from Home Depot and blast the driveway, sidewalks, porch and deck. Don’t forget to spray the windows, gutters and siding to remove dirt and grime. If your gutters are in bad shape consider a professional like Gutter Brothers to help.
Rake and remove all leaves, mow lawn, trim overgrown bushes, edge walkways and pull weeds from flower beds. Plant fresh flowers and spread bark or mulch around each plant. A great place to buy healthy flowers is Pike Nursery. Don’t have a green thumb? Hire a yard care service to get the job done for you. This service typically starts at $75 and can range up to $300 or more, depending on the size of the lot.
Once the yard is clear and clean, inspect the exterior for any damages, including cracks, chipped paint, or rotting wood. Give the siding and the door a fresh coat of paint if necessary. Addressing these issues and applying a fresh coat of paint can revitalize your home’s appearance, making it stand out among the competition.
If the roof is aging but remains in good condition (with no leaks), a replacement may not be necessary, as it likely won’t significantly boost the home’s value. However, it may be a good idea to hire a roofing professional to inspect it for any necessary repairs before listing your home.
Give the Interior a Makeover
When potential buyers step into your home, they want to envision themselves living there. Personal items scattered throughout the space can make it harder for them to connect with the property. Start by removing personal photos, artwork, plants, and any oversized furniture that may overwhelm the space. Pack away most small appliances and out-of-season clothing to create a clean, inviting atmosphere. The first and most important step is to de-clutter each room and eliminate personal touches to help buyers imagine the home as their own.
Deep clean the entire house including closets, baseboards, windows, ceiling fans and inside of all the cabinets. Clean all carpets and shine up wood floors. If you have any pets make sure to eliminate any odors throughout the home. Address any mold issues as soon as possible and call in a professional if necessary. Aristocrat Air, Inc has 20 years of experience and offers all natural, earth-friendly bio-decontamination, mold, and odor removal services. Mold will scare off most potential buyers so make removing it a high priority.
Don’t give other sellers the advantage by ignoring a wet basement. Fixing a wet basement doesn’t have to be overly expensive or time-consuming. According to Home Advisor, the average cost for sealing a basement or foundation is $4,460. If additional repairs are needed—such as addressing cracks, installing drains and gutters, or excavating your yard—the expenses may be higher. However, the investment is well worth it for the long-term benefits.
First impressions matter, so give the walls a fresh coat of paint using a light neutral color such as Alabaster White. Keep the same color throughout the house so the rooms flow evenly. Fresh paint will give your house a cleaner and brighter look, and may even add to your return on investment. After the painting is done, take a walk through the home and look at all the outlet covers and electrical switch plates covers to determine if they need to be replaced.
Kitchen Updates
If there’s one room in your home that’s worth upgrading before putting it on the market, it’s the kitchen. Simple upgrades can go a long way. Buyers will always prefer a kitchen with new appliances so keep that in mind. Stainless steel is a good choice because it fits well with most kitchen designs.
The countertops create the personality of your kitchen. You can put in new countertops without upgrading your entire kitchen. Some natural stone choices are granite, marble and soapstone and are the most expensive. Average price of real stone countertops: $50-$150 per Another type of material is engineered stone also called quartz The average price of quartz countertops: $50-$100 per square foot. A less expensive option is solid-surfacing or Corian with an average price of $40-$150 per square foot.
If countertops are the personality, then cabinets are the bones of the kitchen. How much you put into your cabinetry depends on their condition. You may only need to replace the hardware, repaint the doors or give them a good cleaning. However, if they are old and damaged replacing them with new cabinets may be the only solution. The cost of new cabinets can range from $3,000 up to $28,000+. Consider adding a new light fixture to freshen up the appearance of the room. This can be an easy and inexpensive way to update the kitchen or any place in the house.
Bathrooms Are Important Too
Outdated bathrooms can be an instant turn-off to buyers. Old fixtures and finishes can make your bathroom look tired and unappealing. How much upgrade you need depends on the overall condition of your bathroom(s). The first step is to clear off the sink area, nobody wants to see your toothbrush! If your sink and vanity are in good condition, just changing the facet and the hardware will be an improvement. A good investment is replacing the toilet with a more modern, elongated design at comfort height. An easy and affordable way to make your bathroom look better is to refinish existing bathtubs that are in otherwise good condition. If you have a larger budget, consider replacing the tub/shower with a walk in shower to give the appearance of a luxurious oases. Instead of replacing the tile floor, you may just need to re- grout it. Update the light fixtures to match the finish of the bathroom fixtures, and choose a variety of light sources to provide both soft ambient lighting and bright vanity lighting.
Work with a Top Real Estate Agent
An experienced realtor can help you identify any issues when preparing your home for the market. Find an agent that will put the work in to get as many eyes on your home as possible through marketing, staging, and open houses. You will need their expertise to price your home just right so you can receive the best possible offers. With more than 2,000 real estate agents in metro Atlanta, it can be a challenge to find the right match. Before you make your final decision, make sure to read through all the testimonials and 5 star reviews.
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