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Tips
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When
selling your home, the goal is to sell it quickly at the highest price
while investing as little as possible in renovations. With a limited budget
and a little effort, you can greatly increase your home's appeal by focusing
on what prospective buyers can see on the first visit. Here are a few
tips professional home estimators recommend when preparing a house for
sale:
Tip
#1: Refresh the Exterior
First impressions count when it comes to selling a home. A majority of
buyers will not even get out of their car if they do not find the exterior
appealing. The best way to improve your exterior includes:
Repairing and/or replacing trims, shutters, gutters, shingles, mailboxes,
window screens, walkways, and driveway.
Painting siding, trim and shutters, and lamp and mail box
posts.
Pressure washing vinyl siding, roofs, walkways, and driveway.
Washing windows.
Tip #2: Tidy Lawn and Landscape
Home buyers associate the condition of your lawn and landscape with the
condition of your home interior. The best way to enhance the yard includes:
Mowing and edging your lawn.
Seeding, fertilizing, and weeding lawn.
Trimming and/or removing overgrown trees, shrubs, and hedges.
Weeding and mulching plant beds.
Planting colorful seasonal flowers in existing plant beds.
Removing trash especially along fences and underneath hedges.
Sweeping and weeding the street curb along your property.
Tip #3: Create An Inviting Entrance
The front door to your home should invite buyers to enter. The best way
to improve this includes:
Painting the front door in a glossy, cheerful color that compliments
the exterior color.
Cleaning and/or replacing the door knocker, locks, and handles.
Repairing and/or replacing the screen door, door bell, porch
light and house numbers.
Placing a new welcome mat and a group of seasonal potted
plants and flowers.
Tip #4: Reduce Clutter and Furniture
A buyer cannot envision living in your home if they cannot see your house.
A home filled with clutter or even too much furniture distracts buyers
from seeing how they can utilize the space your home offers. If you have
limited storage space, you may want to consider renting a temporary storage
unit to place items you wish to keep. The best way to improve your home
includes:
Removing clutter such as books, magazines, toys, tools, supplies,
unused items from counter tops, open shelves, storage closets, garage
and basements.
Storing out of season clothing and shoes to make bedroom closets
seem roomier.
Remove any visible damaged furniture.
Tip #5: Clean, Clean, Clean
The cleanliness of your home also influences a buyer's perception of it's
condition. The appearance of the kitchen and bathrooms will play a considerable
role in a buyer's decision process, so pay particular attention to these
areas. The best way to improve this includes:
Cleaning windows, fixtures, hardware, ceiling fans, vent covers
and appliances.
Cleaning carpets, area rugs, and draperies.
Cleaning inside refrigerator, stove, and cabinets.
Removing stains from carpets, floors, counters, sinks, baths,
tile and grout.
Eliminating house odors, especially if you have pets.
Tip #6: Make Minor Repairs
The small stuff does count, especially with first time home buyers. Without
dismissing the importance of repairing major items such as a leaking roof
or plumbing, you do not need to spend money on replacing these items.
Instead, focus on the minor repairs that make your home visually appealing.
The best way to improve your home includes:
Repairing ceilings and wall cracks.
Repairing faucets, banisters, handrails, cabinets, drawers, doors,
floors and tile.
Caulking and grouting tubs, showers, sinks and tile.
Painting ceilings, walls, trim, doors and cabinets.
Tightening door handles, drawer pulls, light switches and electrical
plates.
Lubricating door hinges and locks.
Tip #7: Showcase the Kitchen
The heart of any home is the kitchen. If you are going to spend any money
on renovations, this is the one area where you will see the greatest return.
Even with a modest budget, focusing on a few key areas can make a great
difference in getting the asking price for your property. The best way
to showcase the kitchen includes:
Replacing cabinet doors and hardware.
Installing under cabinet lighting.
Replacing light fixtures.
Replacing outdated shelving with pantry and cabinet organizers
to maximize space.
Tip #8: Stage Furniture
Furniture placement can enhance the space of your home while giving buyers
an idea of how to best utilize the space with their own belongings. Take
some time out to rethink how different areas in your house could be used.
Some ideas to think about includes:
Moving couches and chairs away from walls in your sitting and
family rooms to create "cozy conversational groups."
Creating a reading corner in the master bedroom.
Clearing an empty room to setup a reading space.
Turning an awkward space into a home office.
Tip #9: Light Up The House
Create a sense of openness and cheerfulness in your home through lighting.
To improve the lighting try:
Opening shades and drapes to let the sun shine warm and brighten
rooms.
Installing brighter light bulbs in rooms that tend to be dark.
Adding additional lamps for ambient lighting.
Tip #10: Add Natural Touches
You can easily add color and style to your home by placing fresh flowers
and fruit bowls throughout it. Some ideas to consider includes:
Placing fragrant arrangements in the entry and master bedroom.
Placing bowls of bright colored fruit in family room and kitchen.
Filling an empty corner with a potted leafy plant.
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Cara
Caldwell,
Associate Broker
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