It doesn’t take much to turn off buyers. Right now, however, there are so many in the market, clamoring for homes in decent areas and in good condition, that homes are practically selling themselves.
Getting the most money possible for your home, however, requires a bit of work. Skipping the following, basic tips, is like throwing money away.
Let’s see if we can step up your home’s game so you can reap maximum rewards.
1. Ignore your home’s appearance from the curb
“Curb appeal” isn’t just a concept from home and garden TV shows; it’s actually what gets homebuyers out of the car and into the house.
Stand at the curb and take a look at the exterior of your home and the landscaping. Like what you see?
If not, a little bit of elbow grease can change that.
If your home needs painting, paint it. Stick with neutral colors, such as gray, taupe and white, according to the experts at Benjamin Moore.
For a pop of interest, paint the door a coordinating color. Black is popular right now, but red and blue are attractive as well.
Next, turn your attention to the landscaping. Just as you’ll need to do to the interior, clean the landscaping of any debris. If the lawn isn’t dormant, mow it and add fresh mulch to the beds.
Then, add attractive plants (even if they’re potted). Ensure that the exterior of the home is as inviting as possible.
2. Assuming since you can’t smell it, buyers won’t either
We’ve all walked into a home and been blasted by stinky, stale odors. Whether they come from pets, kids, cooking or cigarettes, these odors can have potential buyers running for the door.
Fabrics hold odors so consider having upholstered furniture professionally cleaned. Change the HVAC filters for they, too, tend to hold odors. Dry-clean or launder drapes, curtains and throw rugs.
If the odor is cigarette smoke, you may need to paint. Wash the ceilings and walls first with ammonia and water. Then, use a shellac-based primer, such as Zinsser B-I-N, before applying the paint.
3. Your bathroom has seen better days
Yes, we understand how difficult it is to keep the hardest-working room in the home tidy. But bathrooms are important to buyers, so yours should be spotless and completely depersonalized.
After cleaning and painting (if necessary), remove personal items, such as toothbrushes, mouthwash, toothpaste, shampoo, etc. from the countertop and the /tub shower’s interior. Ensure that the shower curtain and the toilet lid are closed.
A good rule of thumb for the bathroom is that if something is not decorative, remove it from view.
4. Your home’s interior gives off a“cave” vibe
For as long as we can remember, homebuyers value a light and bright atmosphere over all else. Most of the time they don’t know why a dark home feels uncomfortable; it’s more of a perception.
It’s imperative to remedy a lack of natural light in the home. You can do this with additional lighting and by opening all window coverings.
Dark and gloomy doesn’t sell homes. Light and bright does. Light up every dark space in the home.
5. Assume buyers won’t look at your garage.
You won’t like this one.
Clean the garage.
In their efforts to de-clutter their homes for sale, we see many clients shove all the excess into the garage. Bad move, especially in light of the fact that 86 percent of homebuyers want garage storage space.
Show them how roomy yours is by removing oversized items (take them to storage) and cleaning the garage with the same zeal you did when cleaning the home. Organize what’s left so that the room screams “Look at all this storage space!”
Ensure that while it’s on the market, your home is the belle of the neighborhood. Correcting these five deal breakers is inexpensive and easy but play a big role in your home’s presentation.
