How to Think Like a Buyer!
Follow these six tips for selling your home this spring.
It is well-known that clean homes sell quicker and for a higher price. When getting your home ready to sell, there are six quick fixes to make your home stand out. Spring is the busiest season for home buyers and sellers, so now is the time to jump on these projects that will impact your home’s presentation and cleanliness. They want to be able to envision themselves living there.
Make Sure You Give Your Home A Thorough Spring Cleaning!
First impressions are everything. So, what do you want the buyers to see when they open your door? Remove everything possible from the path of walking through the home. You do not want to detract from the character of your home. Clear kitchen counters of knickknacks and equipment. Closets should be cleaned and thinned out to showcase space and size. Bedrooms should be made up, and nightstands cleared of scattered items. Less is more and makes the home feel bigger.
Brighten Up The Home
Painting is the least expensive option for a return on investment. The kitchen and primary bath carry the highest return, so paint the cabinets white or neutral color to make the home soft, inviting, and timeless. See it through the eyes of the buyer, and these upgrades will have a large impact on the look of your home. Replace hardware and faucets for a more up-to-date look.
Radiate Curb Appeal
Your home’s curb appeal is everything, as a buyer will decide within seconds whether your home is appealing to them. Be sure the frost-bitten shrubs are replaced and bushes and trees trimmed. Flowers are a must; make sure to add a pop of color that draws the eye. I always suggest adding a bench and flower pots to the front porch. This also helps with photos.
Remove Personal Effects
When potential buyers walk into a home, they want to feel they can make it their own. If there are family pictures everywhere, it feels like someone else’s home, and thus makes it difficult for them to imagine living there. Personal effects should be removed wherever possible, which includes trophies, artwork on the refrigerator, and collections of any sort. Nothing is worse than having a home filled with personal effects of the homeowners, and the buyers not being able to see the home’s potential.
Light is Everything
Everyone loves big windows and natural light. The first thing I tell everyone about this is to have your windows washed inside and out. It is amazing how much more light can filter in with clean windows. And it says to the buyers that you keep your home clean and maintain it. Lightbulbs make a major difference in indoor light, so I suggest replacing old incandescent bulbs with LED bulbs. I prefer the lower color quality of light or a Kelvin (K) with a bulb in the 2,700-3,000K range. It will change the entire house. Check out Ferguson’s Lighting Gallery for more ideas on lighting!
Pay Attention to the Floors
Buyers always, always look at the floors. If there are cracked tiles everywhere, or dog hair piling up in the corners of the hardwoods, have them cleaned and repaired. This includes the carpeting. If it is threadbare and stained, it may be time to replace it or at least have it professionally cleaned. Special products like Bona will rejuvenate wood floors, and recaulking shower floors can make a difference.
Presenting your home for sale in the best possible light will bring you the highest price and sell faster. Try to make it as easy as possible for potential buyers to see your property as their future home. Your listing agent will be able to tell you exactly what they recommend to help bring out the potential in your home.
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