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Selling your home is a time-consuming and stressful endeavor. The number of things to be done before your home is market-ready can be daunting, and it may seem like an endless list. Surprisingly, it’s not as hard as it seems. Read on for a few simple tips that will please potential buyers and maximize the value of your home sale.
Repairs
Home buyers want to worry about as few things as possible. The buying process itself is so stressful that any added tasks may be overwhelming for them. The home won’t sell for as much if it needs repairs anyways, so why not put that probable loss towards getting all the loose ends fixed up? Create two lists, one with must-fixes, and one with hopeful fixes. Get the must-fixes done, and price out the hopeful fixes. If the prices and time needed for the hopeful fixes are worth it, they should be tackled before your house goes on the market. Some of these repairs may include faulty cabinets, leaky faucets, chipped paint, or broken flooring. Anything structurally or mechanically faulty should go on the must-fix list. Make sure to check with your real estate agent for advice before any lengthy repair projects.
Upgrades
The most important question you’ll need to ask when deciding whether or not to do upgrades before you sell is if there will be a return on the investment. Ideal upgrades would be ones that are low cost but pack a big aesthetic punch. Some examples of this would be repainting, installing new cabinet and door knobs, adding backsplashes to the kitchen and bathrooms, and replacing faucets.
Deep Cleaning
Buyers will be paying extra attention to details that you might overlook in your day-to-day life. This applies both visually and smell-wise; you may be too used to your home to notice some unappealing smells that outsiders will pick up on. You should hire someone to clean the carpets, or rent a carpet-cleaning machine. Refinishing any tile or hardwood floor is recommended as well, which will make it appear brand new. Furniture should be cleaned with whatever appropriate type of cleaning product for the material, as it can hold a surprising amount of bad odors. Deep cleaning is especially important if you have had pets in your home, for the sake of sanitation and allergy prevention for potential buyers.
Staging
Now is the time to bring out that interior decorator inside all of us! The living room, master bedroom suite, and kitchen are the three most impactful rooms when a buyer is visiting. You should start by cleaning and decluttering these rooms. People are drawn more to simple aesthetics, and having too much stuff will detract attention from the areas you’d want buyers to focus on. The potential buyers want to feel like this place could really be their home, and staging your furniture, trinkets, and appliances appropriately will allow them to best visualize themselves in the cozy future home.
Curb appeal is an important part of staging. A study conducted by Michigan State University researchers revealed that well-kept and clean landscaping can increase perceived home value by 5-11%. Think about adding outdoor furniture, splashes of color on the door or mailbox, pressure cleaning the driveway, and you should clean up any debris, weeds, or loose foliage.