Getting ready to sell your home? Great! But, did you know that with just a little bit of effort you can make your home more interesting to prospective buyers? With a little bit of your time and a small investment you can sell your home quickly and for a better price. That said, here are 7 tips for preparing your home for sale.
It’s a buyers market
Before we begin discussing all the things that you can do to improve your home before a sale, we need to address the current market. With so many homes for sale, buyers can afford to be picky. And you need to put in some extra effort to make your home interesting and more valuable. There are a lot of tips for preparing your home for sale. From assessing the condition of your home with a home inspection, to touching it up a little bit to make it more enticing. The amount of effort that you should, could or need to invest depends on many factors. But they all contribute to a higher price and a quicker sale.
Tip #1: Good landscaping makes for a good first impression
When selling a home, most people focus on the home itself. They make sure that the rooms are tidy and that the fireplace is operational. But, the first thing that a potential buyer will see is the outside of your home. How it looks when viewed from the street. That first impression sets the tone for the whole home tour. And that’s where landscaping comes in.
Set aside some time to make the outer appearance of your home and landscape around it look perfect. Maw the lawn, prune the bushes, and plant some flowers. It’s a small investment that will go a long way with buyers.
Tip #2: Finish all the repairs on your to-do list
A home is something that requires constant maintenance. But, as we all know, some repairs often end up on the to-do list and get put off for months. When selling a home you want to present it as a perfect place where people can just move in. The last thing you want is your house to be perceived as a fixer-upper. That can significantly drive down the price. So, do a structural inspection. Make sure that the roof isn’t leaking. And that there aren’t any major problems with your home. Then move on to smaller items. Fill any holes in your walls and fix leaky sinks, squeaky doors, and chipped paint.
This is an important tip for preparing your home for sale. By making everything look perfect you’ll leave an impression of an impeccably maintained home. So you will be able to sell it quickly and for a great price.
Tip #3: Small renovations make a big difference
There are many tips for preparing your home for sale. But this one probably has the biggest impact on the sale price. When you live in a house for years it’s easy to get used to things being just as they are. For you, it’s your old house. But for the people buying it, it will be their new home. So, it’s time to modernize it a little bit.
Depending on your budget, there are a lot of things that you can do. From changing fixtures and faucets, to redoing your entire kitchen or bathroom. Even the little tweaks can make a big difference. So even though you might not have a big budget it’s worth investing in little details.
Tip #4: Depersonalize the home
When selling a home, you need to walk a fine line between making it look homey and sterile. While you want your potential buyers to be able to see how comfortable it is to live there, you also want them to be able to imagine that they will be living there.
So, remove personal items that will keep reminding them that it’s still your home. Take down family photos from the walls and your kids’ artwork from the fridge. If you are left with too much empty space, you can replace the photos with generic nature landscapes from the dollar store.
Tip #5: Declutter your home and make it presentable
You will be moving out soon anyway. So, why not get rid of all the clutter right away? It will make your home look much more presentable. And it will leave the impression that there is much more available space. You can rent a storage unit and store items that you don’t want to get rid of. At least until you move into your new home.
Tip #6: Clean and brighten up the place
This is one of the more logical tips for preparing your home for sale. In order to make your home look appealing, you need it to be clean. But, for this, you’ll need to employ some creative tricks. Your goal, of course, is to clean the place. But, this time you need it to shine. Polish all the surfaces and windows. Make sure that every metal detail in your kitchen is shining. Bring in some potted plants to give the space a more homey look and feel. And make sure you open all the curtains and let the natural light in. It will give an impression of a much larger and more inviting space.
Tip #7: Give your buyers options for the future
Buying a home is a big investment. So you need to adopt an attitude that you are not just selling a piece of real estate. You are selling a future home for an entire family. And you need to be able to present them options that they will have if they buy this home. Give them landscape ideas. Explain how easy it would be to design solar panels for the home. Show them that they will be able to upgrade the home as they see fit. And make it truly their own.
All your efforts will pay off when preparing your home for sale
Selling a home can be a fun activity that will let you flex your creative muscles. By employing a little bit of effort you’ll be able to sell your home quickly. And get a much better deal. What you learn in the process can easily be implemented once you move into your new home. And what’s even better is that all these things don’t require too much time. You can do small repairs before State to State Move arrives to transfer your belongings to your new home. Decluttering will also make it easier to move into a new household. With just a little bit of effort, your old house will become someones’ new home. And you’ll have the funds and experience that you can invest in your shiny new home.
Author’s Bio:
Christina Berry is a freelance blogger and a self-taught interior decorator. She enjoys sharing her knowledge of household organization and providing useful tips about improving your home.