Get your home in selling conditionYou have decided to put your house up for sale. But, you want to make sure you get the best sale price possible. So, what do you do? There are several steps you can take to make your house look much better to potential buyers. The better the house looks, the more people will pay for it.

The first thing to do is take a critical look at your house. Put yourself in the position of a potential buyer. If you can’t do that yourself, ask a friend or, better yet, a local real estate agent. Go through the house and determine what needs to be done to make the house show better.

Let’s look at some items that can make your home more appealing to a potential buyer.

Improve Your Home's Curb Appeal

Check out the landscaping. Prune bushes and trees. Weed the gardens. Fill in any bare spots in the lawn and keep the lawn trimmed and edged. Plant a few flowers for some color and to soften the landscape. And make sure the walkway is clear.

Check out the house. Is the roof in good condition, or are the shingles curling and peeling? If the roof is in poor shape, consider replacing it. If you don’t, buyers will insist on a lower price to pay for a new roof. And many buyers will pass on the house entirely because they don’t want to have to do major repairs.

Consider painting the door and the trim around the windows to freshen the look of the house. Of course, if the exterior house paint is peeling, you will need to repaint the entire house. Also freshen the paint on the mailbox and make sure that the house numbers are easy to read.

Remove All Clutter

Go through every room and remove as many items as possible from each room. Clutter detracts from the features of the home. Remove most personal photographs especially any that line hallways, most books from bookcases and shelves, trophies, knickknacks, collectibles, trinkets, children’s toys, shoes or clothes by the front door, and that stack of mail. It is also a good idea to remove political or religious items that may be on display to make the house more neutral.

Also tackle closets. Remove everything from the floor. It just looks like clutter. Put most of the clothes into storage, keeping enough clothing to last for about two weeks. Spread the clothes that you keep out in the closet. Tightly-packed clothing in a closet can make the closets seem too small to buyers. You want your closets to seem spacious. Also remove most items from the shelves to give a bigger appearance.

Remove Bulky Furniture

Remove large, bulky furniture. You can store it in a storage unit, sell it, or give it to charity. Large furniture can make a room seem very small. It can stop the freedom of movement in a room. Also remove excess furniture. That will give the room a more open feel.

Clean Everything

Every room should be spotless, especially the kitchen and bathrooms. Metal fixtures should shine. Windows should sparkle inside and outside. Dust and vacuum everything daily. Clean off cobwebs. Clean ceiling fan blades and light fixtures

Re-caulk around sinks and tubs. Bleach any grout that is graying.

Always have a fresh set of unused towels that you can put out in the bathrooms before a showing.

In the kitchen, clean out and organize the pantry and refrigerator. Remove excess pots and pans, dishes, containers, and anything else that is crowding your cabinets. Buyers will look inside cabinets. You want them to feel that there is plenty of storage. Also clean the oven.

Painting

Consider repainting the walls of each room. It will freshen the appearance. Choose light colors in neutral shades. Pops of color can be added with your accessories. If your light switch covers and outlet covers are dirty, dingy, or paint spattered, replace them. New ones will give the room a cleaner, fresher look.

Make Repairs

Make those repairs that you have been putting off. Broken screens, cracked window panes, doors that won’t close properly, holes in the walls, or leaky faucets are signs that the home is lacking proper maintenance. It can make buyers wonder what else might be wrong with the house. You also may want to consider more extensive repairs. For example, if comparable homes in your area have granite countertops and your countertops are in bad condition, replacing them with granite will make it easier to sell your home. Your realtor can advise you regarding the features of comparable homes in your area.

Staging

If you can afford it, hire a staging company to help make your home look more up-to-date. Or, you can stage your home yourself. Make sure that each room is staged to show the purpose of the space. Each space should be clearly defined.

If stuffed furniture is torn, worn, stained, or shabby looking, cover it with slipcovers. Replace dark window coverings with lighter ones. The goal here is to make the house seem lighter and brighter.

Don’t forget the outdoor spaces. If you have a large front porch, put a small table and a couple of chairs on it to make a seating area. In the backyard, create a seating area and/or dining area to make the area look inviting.

Other Thoughts

If there are any fixtures, such as a favorite mirror or chandelier, that you would not want to part with when you sell your house, remove and replace them before you put your house on the market. Buyers often want those very items you would never part with.

You will need to keep the house in clean, sparkling condition as long as it is for sale. It’s not easy, but it is worth the trouble!

If you are considering buying or selling a home this summer, give us a call or send us a message now. My partner Andrew Palumbo and I both have extensive real estate and construction experience. We would be happy to assist you with your real estate needs.

Posted by Larry Tollen on
Email Send a link to post via Email

Leave A Comment

e.g. yourwebsitename.com
Please note that your email address is kept private upon posting.