We help our sellers to make cost effective transformations in their home and increase buyer appeal.
Paint
Touchups and a fresh coat of paint can go a long way and can help make a home feel new. Not only walls, but also touching up doors and baseboards can make a huge difference to a buyer. Neutral colors are recommended, which help to brighten rooms and allow buyers to focus on the spaces themselves rather than the color of the walls. Sealing peeling paint on the exterior of your home can also add value for a potential buyer.
Clean & Declutter
If your home has clutter, buyers may think there is not enough space for them. Think “less is more” when you organize and declutter. Give each room a purpose and define each space. Removing personal items such as photos help provide a blank canvas for buyers to envision their own personal belongings in the home. A good deep clean including counters, windows, and even drawers, closets and cupboards will help your home look much more appealing in buyer’s eyes. Pay close attention to how your home smells too. It is best to skip cooking bacon for breakfast if you have showings in the afternoon.
Updates
Price can vary greatly depending on the age of the home, but simple upgrades can help buyers see more value. Consider changing old hardware such as doorknobs, cabinet pulls, or outlet covers. Upgrade old lighting, ceiling fans, plumbing fixtures and window treatments. New flooring can also increase your home value and make your home more enticing to potential buyers.
Home Prep Checklist
Getting your home ready to sell takes preparation. Walking through your home like you are the buyer and seeing it for the first time gives you perspective, take notes of what you think a buyer would question or notice. Clearing out clutter, removing family photos, packing items up you don’t need every day clears out closets and remove big furniture or if you have a lot of furniture take it to storage. Less is best.
- Clean & clean & clean again, this includes bathrooms, baseboard, countertops, kitchen sinks, cabinet handles and behind, windows, appliances, faucets
- Smells can be a turn off, be aware of pet odors etc.
- Remove clutter, the stack of mail on the counter, everyone’s shoes at the door, the make up on the bathroom counter.
- Keep it simple, decorate minimally.
- Neutral colors allow Buyers to visualize themselves in the house rather than discuss how they have to paint the vibrant colors gone.
- Put away personal items like family photos, clear the refrigerator of personal pictures.
- Store oversized furniture or excessive furniture.
- Open the curtains or shades and let the light shine in. Most everyone feels better in a bright light living area.
- Plants and flowers don’t overdo. Potted plants are nice here and there but don’t line a wall with them. Fresh flowers on the dining room table is a nice touch, adds to the ambience of the room.
- Organize closets and anything you can put in storage is a good idea. Then buyers see there is plenty of room for their items.
- Most rooms need a purpose otherwise the buyer will question what it’s for. So, if you have a nook somewhere put a small desk there or a reading chair with light.
- When entering the home make sure it flows easily and buyers don’t have to dodge through tight spaces.
- The fix it list, just get it done. Items found most often are loose toilets & faucets, leaking faucets, cracked window glass, loose railing, missing light bulbs, broken lock, window hardware, service furnace, negative drainage.
- Curb appeal is so important. Buyers will drive by properties first to see if they want to view inside. If the exterior of the home and yard are in disrepair or uncared for, they will pass on it. Clean up the walkway, clean the front door, trim any shrubs, mow the lawn, weed the flower beds, add color to a dull entry with freshly planted flowers. Scrape and paint any peeling paint, stage the back patio or deck for a relaxing getaway.