Have you been wondering how to create a buzz among buyers
and get top dollar for your home? The answer is showcasing, sometimes called
staging by real estate professionals, the most attractive attributes of your
property.
Here are 20 sure-fire tips from the pros to help you sell
your home fast:
1. Remove clutter. Make rooms look larger by removing as
much of the furniture as you can. In this case, less is always more. You can
give it away to Goodwill Industries, sell it at a garage sale or get a storage
unit and stockpile it there. Pay particular attention to doorways and hallways.
They should be open and clear with no obstructions.
2. Employ counter intelligence. Go through the entire house
and make sure all flat surfaces, such as the bathroom and kitchen countertops,
are clear. Got old magazines? Throw ‘em out! Have too many knick-knacks? Pack
‘em away out of sight. All the counters must be clean and clear.
3. Follow your nose. Remember that your home needs to smell
good to be appealing to a prospective buyer. There should be no obvious odors.
That means no old cooking smells, no smoke from cigarettes, and absolutely no
pet smells.
Ask a friend over, one whose judgment you can trust – to
give your house a sniff test. To completely erase the bad smells, you have to
get rid of the source of the problem. So, clean the air vents, thoroughly clean
the whole house, and get rid of that old, odor-filled carpet and, if you’re a
smoker, always smoke outside.
4. Always keep in mind that the person who buys your
property won’t want to do any more work on the house than you do. So, if your
home will need work, for example, if it has old wallpaper or shabby carpet, now
is the time to get rid of it. By doing so, you will ensure that the only thing
your buyers will have to look ahead to is moving day.
5. Do the baby test. If your desired market has young
families with little kids, ask yourself the following question, “Would I let me
child crawl on this floor?” If the answer is no, then fix the problem. If your
home has grimy walls with handprints or smudges, it’s probably a good idea to
paint.
6. Get rid of the cigarettes. Cigarette odors are
particularly offensive to many buyers. That’s even true of smokers. The problem
is that many buyers won’t even consider a home where there has been smoking.
You don’t want to exclude a large number of potential buyers.
7. Make your home ageless. Be aware that an old house is not
the same as a classic home. It’s going to be hard to sell your house if it has
carpet, appliances and paint that look 40 years-old. Even if the home actually
is 40 years-old, looking like it will make the home difficult to sell.
8. Let there be light. Keep in mind that most people love to
buy light and space and that will sell your home.
Don’t assume that a house that is dark will be appealing.
Maybe one room that is dark will be considered “cool,” but it’s a negative if
the whole house is gloomy.
If you live where there isn’t much sunlight or it is a
cloudy time of the year, give Mother Nature a boost and use flowers and other
features that will give a sunshiny feeling.
During a spell of dismal weather, one seller showed that she
really grasped the impact staging could have on her home. She raised the sun
umbrella on the deck, found some colorful beach towels to throw over the deck
railing and added a lemonade pitcher and drinking glasses.
9. Get a home inspection. Even though the majority of buyers
will want their own inspection, this will give you a chance to make any necessary
repairs before your house is up for sale. People like to know that their
inspector didn’t find anything wrong. Usually, depending on your location, an
inspector will cost about $200 to $400. A professional in real estate will be
able to help you find a trustworthy inspector.
10. Learn to love white walls. Many people love to have
color on their walls. Unfortunately, what one person likes may look just awful
to the next one. Luckily, paint is a really low-cost way to make your home look
fresh and clean.
So, stick to neutral colors if you’re going to have to
repaint anyway. Besides, the color that makes rooms look large and is a great
light reflector, is white.
11. Inspect the carpet. Make sure you have shampooed it to
remove any odors or stains. Be honest with yourself, if it still doesn’t look
or smell right, remove it. If you do, a great choice is using a laminate or
wood instead.
12. Avoid controversy. Let’s face it, if you have the head
of a deer on the wall, you should probably take it down. There are bound to be
some buyers who are turned off by it. Watch what magazines and books you have
on display when preparing your home for a showing. Keep away from anything that
might potentially be offensive.
13. Replace deteriorating wallpaper. If you have wallpaper
in your home, look it over carefully. If it is peeling, particularly in
bathrooms, take it down and think about painting the wall instead. The same
thing goes if the children’s rooms need an update. You don’t want your buyers
to be judging your ability as an interior decorator rather than actually
looking at your home.
14. Clean your closets. It is best to empty everything out
of the closet and only put back half. That will make the space look roomy and
that will sell the house. The same thing applies to kitchen cabinets. And, if
you’re wondering what to do with everything you removed, you can send your
surplus food to a food bank or shelter and donate extra clothes. That way, you
won’t have to move them.
15. Harness flower power. If you’re on a budget, there is
probably no better way to make a home look classy than to use fresh flowers and
plants. Consider bouquets that are less expensive, in-season flowers from your
yard or green plants.
16. Open the windows. Open the windows wide if it’s a nice
day in summer. Or, if it’s a frigid, dismal day, light a cheery fire in the
fireplace.
17. Don’t listen to everyone’s advice. The truth is that if
a potential buyer drives by your home and it is impressive and inviting, even
if they don’t like your colors, chances are they will be interested.
18. Keep it clean. People will turn around and walk out of a
home that has trash, cobwebs or dust. Remember that people are looking at
everything and will miss nothing.
19. Set your house apart. Do something to make your house
stand out from all the other houses in your neighborhood that look the same.
One study showed that buyers remembered the house with red roses in the living
room. And they liked the home more because they were pleased with that detail.
In other words, give people a reason to remember your home. Anything that will
make it stand out in a good way will make a huge difference.
20. Keep it real. Don't worry if the house doesn't always
look like the maid just finished her work.
Photo Credit: Chris Bone Creative Commons License
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