These easy-to-follow tips will help you attract buyers when you’re ready to sell your home.
Picture perfect
You might be surprised how many buyers pass on houses simply because of poor photos used in ads or handouts. Home selling rule number one is to make sure the house is well represented in all photographs. Try taking photos yourself at different times of the day and from different angles. If you don’t like the photo your agent takes, speak up and offer your own.
Clean it up
Home buyers nearly always think that dirty houses need repairs, when all they usually require is some thorough TLC. After a few turned-off buyers, agents hesitate to show dirty houses. No showings, no sale. Don’t forget the sniff test. Offensive odors are the first thing buyers notice. Let fresh air circulate through your house before a showing. Use air freshener or potpourri in each room. Create a pleasing and homey aroma by baking cookies before a showing.
Curb appeal is for real
If the home’s curb appeal is terrible, the majority of buyers won’t even make an appointment to go inside. Taking the time to prepare the house to the best of your ability can put extra dollars in your pocket, and in less than average time.
Focus on exterior elements to grab a buyer’s attention before they walk in the door.
- Outdoor lighting makes the home inviting in the evenings–when many buyers do drive-bys of properties.
- Install a more attractive front door, maybe something with leaded glass inserts. Or, simply buy more attractive door hardware if yours isn’t appealing. When all else fails, a fresh coat of paint or stain, along with polished hardware, will brighten up a dingy entryway.
- Sweep the driveway and pressure wash the house or sidewalks if necessary.
- Enhance landscaping if possible.
- Stow away unnecessary garden implements and tools.
- Clean windows and gutters.
- Pressure wash dirty siding and dingy decks.
- Edge sidewalks and remove vegetation growing between concrete or bricks.
- Mow the lawn. Get rid of weeds.
- Rake and dispose of leaves, even if your lot is wooded.
- Trim tree limbs that are near or touching the home’s roof
- If you can budget it, a fresh paint job does wonders for a dingy house. Drive around your town to find color schemes that are appealing.
- Clean the drain gutters. Buyers nearly always comment if gutters are full of leaves and it makes them question other maintenance issues.
Update and upgrade – especially in the kitchen and bathrooms
New appliances freshen up a kitchen. So does new cabinet hardware. Adding glass doors to a few kitchen cabinets gives them a new look–and lights inside those cabinets add soft appeal. If you can’t afford these upgrades, painting kitchen cabinets can change the entire character of your kitchen for a minimal investment. Use smooth, micropore paint rollers or small spray guns for best results.
Let the light shine in
Adding a skylight or upgrading light fixtures will do wonders to lighten rooms and enhance a home’s character. Remove heavy drapes that keep out natural light, especially if there’s a great view out the windows.
Cut the clutter:
Put away small kitchen appliances and other items that are sitting on countertops and tables. Remove photographs and other small items from table-tops. Put away your personal collections so that buyers don’t get so interested in looking at them that they forget to look at the house. And don’t forget to organize closets and cabinets. Prospective buyers WILL peek.
Make some elbow room
Remove excess furniture to make rooms less cluttered. Store boxes in an out of the way location or rent a temporary storage unit.