You as a seller will be rewarded for taking the time to prepare your home for going to market so that it shows like a 25 out of 10!! Buyers will judge homes before they walk through the front door. Remember First Impressions Matter and you will not get a second opportunity to make a good first impression.
Consider the following to add the WOW factor to your home!
Landscaping & Curb Appeal
· Curb appeal is vital when a potential buyer views your home for the first time. Mow the lawn, weed the garden, prune the perennials & add flowers for color. Re-painting the front door & adding a seasonal wreath & a new welcome mat create a warm and inviting introduction to the home. Replace faded house numbers with something bright & bold that is easily visible from the curb.
· Entrance ways & foyers are also very important. Add a welcoming bench or small table containing fresh flowers.
Maximize Storage Spaces
· Real buyers rate storage as one of their "must-haves". To create the impression of an abundance of storage, remove half of the stuff in your closest and then neatly merchandise what remains. Buyers will open closet & cabinet doors and you want the image of clean, tidy & spacious.
Man's Best Friend
· While we all think of dogs as Man's Best Friend, potential buyers will not be excited by pet odors or kitty litter boxes as they may leave the impression the home is not clean. Remove the pet food & water dishes on show days and take your pet with you while you are out of the house.
Upgrade Sensibly
· Some quick fixes before selling will be beneficial. However, a full-scale renovation perhaps not so much. You probably will not get your money back if you do a huge improvement project before you put your house on the market. Instead choose updates that will have a significant impact but are easy on the budget. Clean curtains or blinds, replace outdated door handles & hardware, fix leaky faucets, have furnace & gas fireplaces serviced, upgrade washer, dishwasher & toilets with braided hoses, replace aging hot water tank & clean grout in bath tub surrounds & shower stalls.
Lighten & Brighten
· We all know Location, Location, Location is so important but after Location, lighting is something that most buyers cite as important. If you have drapes, take them down, clean your windows inside & out so that they sparkle, increase the wattage in ceiling fixtures and lamps so that on the darkest & dreariest days, your home will be bright.
Market the House & Not the Home
· We all know that Home is Where the Heart Is but when you are selling you want to take the home out of the house by de-personalizing. Tuck family photos, memorabilia or collections and any personal keepsakes away so that the buyer can visualize the house as his/her home.
· One of the most important things to do when selling your house is to de-personalize it. It may be necessary to put personal family items into storage. Consider home staging to maximize the potential of your house.
Kitchens Sell Houses
· You’re not actually selling your house, you’re selling your kitchen – that’s how important it is. The benefits of remodeling your kitchen are endless, and the best part of it is that you’ll probably get 85% of your money back. It may be a few thousand dollars to replace countertops where a buyer may knock $10,000 off the asking price if your kitchen looks dated. The fastest, most inexpensive kitchen updates include painting and new cabinet hardware. Use a neutral-color paint so you can present buyers with a blank canvas where they can start envisioning their own style. If you have a little money to spend, buy one fancy stainless steel appliance. Why one? Because when people see one high-end appliance they think all the rest are expensive too and it updates the kitchen.
Bathrooms Must Sparkle
· Splurge on new towels & bathmat, shower curtain
· Free up counter space and have a items displayed in glass apothecary jars
· If mirror is outdated replace with new
· Be sure to wash light fixtures and most importantly wash the ceiling fan!
Always be ready to show
· Your house needs to be "show-ready" at all times – you never know when your buyer is going to walk through the door. It is important to be available whenever they want to view your home and it has to be in tip-top shape. Don’t leave dishes in the sink, keep the dishwasher cleaned out, the bathrooms sparkling and make sure there are no dust bunnies in the corners. It may be a little inconvenient, but it will get take you a long way to getting your house sold.
The Importance of Pricing
· The single most important consideration when marketing a home is pricing it correctly. If you want the highest price the market will deliver, the most effective pricing is the right price on Day One. Research indicates that the longer a house is on the market and the higher the number of days on market which exceed the average length of time it takes to sell similar homes, will work against you. You may be willing to sell your house for less, however a buyer may not even bother to look at your home or make an offer if it is overpriced from the start.
Please describe the property you would like to sell & let's get started!
