You’ve heard it before. Curb appeal matters. Most buyers form their first impression of your home before going inside. Curb appeal, or the view from the curb, can give a potential buyer an impression regarding how attractive and well-maintained your home is compared to other homes. In our competitive market, it takes more than trimming the hedges and planting a few flowers to create curb appeal. The exterior of your home should be in pristine condition – freshly painted, cleared of clutter, with no visible repairs needed. This may require a little extra work, but it’s well worth it if you have a potential buyer who is so impressed with the exterior of your home that she can’t wait to see what’s inside.
This is a tough one for many sellers. De-personalizing your home is one of the best ways to make it appeal to a wider range of people. You want potential buyers want to imagine themselves living in your home, so a bunch of photos of your loved ones and personal keepsakes makes that difficult. Think of it this way; you bought a house and turned it into your home. Now it’s time for you to turn it back into a house so the next owners can turn it into their home. To take it to the next level, consider hiring a stager to showcase your home’s very best potential.
Home buyers’ schedules can be hectic and your house won’t always be shown at convenient times. You need to keep your home 10 minutes from show ready at all times. Keep the kitchen sink clean, the bathrooms sparkling. The inconvenience will be well worth it when your home sells faster and for more money!
Maximize the light wherever you can. Good light is incredibly important to buyers. Take down heavy draperies, have all the windows cleaned inside and out, change out dark lampshades in favor of bright white drum shades and increase the wattage of your light bulbs. The bright and cheery home has a better chance of selling.
Buyers LOVE storage, so maximize what your home has to offer. Remove about half of all that’s in your closets and neatly organize what’s left. Buyers will look behind every door, so make sure even your smallest closets and cabinets are in tip top shape.
The kitchen is the heart of every home. While most major upgrades won’t pay off, remodeling the kitchen can. If your kitchen is very dated, it might be worth upgrading. If your budget won’t allow for a remodel, the fastest, least expensive kitchen updates include paint and replacing cabinet hardware. If you have a little more money to spend, consider upgrading one or more of the appliances.
This is no time to navigate the real estate market on your own. You want someone in your corner who can help you accurately price your home, bring in qualified potential buyers, manage showings, market your home, and properly handle contracts.
Pricing your home can be a touchy subject. Remember, if you price it too high, it will sit on the market no matter how nicely it’s staged and how well it’s marketed. It’s critical to price a home correctly from the start. Take a look at the competition so that you can look at your home through a buyer’s eyes.
While we know your furry friend is the apple of your eye, pets aren’t for everyone. Not everybody is a pet lover and some buyers won’t want to smell the litter box or see the crusty kibble on the dog dish. Consider sending your pets to a pet daycare, a friend’s house or just take them for a ride in the car during showings or for open house. Don’t forget to store their belongings out of sight.
Everyone’s sale goes differently. Some houses fly off the market and others need to find the right fit. Keep your head up and get ready for major changes, it’s an exciting time!!
