Selling Your Home Quickly
First, clear away the clutter inside of your home. Clutter can slow down the process of selling your home. Clutter around the house is a signal to buyers that there will not be enough room in the house for their own things. Clutter serves as a distraction and takes attention from the home and focuses it on your personal belongings. Begin by putting away personal photos. Yes, you should take all the photos off of your refrigerator. If you still have boxes lying around from when you moved in, and yes there are more of you out there that have this problem than you realize, move them to the basement or to your new home if you already have one. Renting a storage space may be necessary if you have a lot of clutter. A clutter free home will look bigger and everyone knows square footage brings in bigger money.
Clean your home thoroughly. Clean homes sell more quickly. Now that the clutter is gone, how do the surfaces in your home look? A little cleaning can go a long way. Scrubbing down kitchen cabinets so that that when prospective buyers open them they don’t stick to their fingers is a must do. Use a magic eraser product to remove marks from painted walls and flooring. Buyers definitely look under the sink, so you should too. A sparkling bathroom can make an outdated bathroom shine. Most importantly, clean the windows. It lets more light in and if you have a great view, it can help draw a buyer’s attention to this selling feature. Light fixtures are often forgotten during cleaning. This little step can help brighten up even the darkest room. Have professionals come in and clean your carpet. This may save you form having to replace it. If you are too busy during this time use your money to hire a cleaning service. It is well worth the investment and you are sure to make it back in the selling price.
Give rooms a fresh look. This may require repainting walls or replacing badly damaged flooring. Replace outdated light fixtures and ceiling fans. This creates an instant update. Although this seems like a lot of time and money to put into a home you are leaving, it can help speed up the sale of your home as well as increase the selling price. Many people want a move in ready home, so give it to them. Fresh paint can make an old home feel fresh and new. Painting over outdated colors, or colors that may not appeal to the majority of the public is a great way to market your home to a larger number of buyers.
Arrange your furniture in a way that allows the room to appeal spacious. Square footage sells a home. This set up may not be the most functional for you and your family, but should definitely be pleasing for the eye. Leave traffic areas open so that buyers are not dodging miscellaneous furniture or squeezing in between large pieces. You should remove any unneeded pieces that serve only to crowd the rooms and make them appear smaller. If you are working with a large room try creating cozy spaces through out the room. Buyers will see its many uses as opposed to realizing they may not own enough furniture to fill up such a large space. Creating a focal point in a room whether it is small or large is a great idea. This is a great way to add some interest to a room that may be lacking in architectural detail. Doing the thinking for the potential buyers helps them see how their own furniture could be placed in the room.
Eliminate any unwanted odors in your home. We all become accustomed to how our home smells and often we don’t realize that it may not be so fresh smelling to others. This can be a problem when you are selling your home. You need to appeal to as many people as possible during the selling process and bad smells can make a buyer walk out before they make it past the font hall. Cleaning will help with a lot of odors, but using air fresheners and candles is also effective. Baking those cookies that everyone loves is a great way to make your house smell like a home. Yes, everyone knows that trick and buyers will grin knowing the trouble you have gone to, but no one ever complains! Most importantly you should remove any pet smells. Have carpets cleaned and send your furry buddies to the local pet boarder during your open house. Remove all signs of the pet, including the toys, food, and litter box. This might be the time to invest in an air purifier that works well on odors. At the very least open some windows if the weather permits. Fresh air can do a lot for a stale home.
Repair anything that you can. Too many needed repairs can hinder the sale of your home. A broken windowpane may not have bothered you, but it will bother your potential buyers. It sends a sign to them that you have not taken care of your home, when this may not be true at all. Replace any cracked tiles and repair any hole in the wall. Do not give you buyer anything to focus on beside how great your home is. There may be a lot you have over looked while living in you home, so take a second to walk through your home and envision it from the buyers perspective. How will they view your home, what will they notice? Minor repairs will not take a lot of time to complete, but they will shave a lot of time off of how long your hose stays on the market.
Create great curb appeal. Curb appeal sells homes. Your realtor will tell you that many buyers will take the time to drive by your home at night to see how your home and your neighbor look. Create a little charm for them to see. Potted plants and appropriate décor can add a cozy feel. Proper lighting at night sends a safe message to buyers. Leave your front porch light on so they can see your home. Keep your grass cut so buyers are not focusing on the work they will have to do. Trim hedges and remove any trash or children’s toys that may be cluttering the yard. Having great curb appeal will bring in buyers who are merely driving around your neighborhood with or without their realtor.
Clean your garage and basement. Hopefully when you de-cluttered the inside of your home you did not wreck your basement or garage. These two areas can be great selling features of your home. You should expose them to their greatest potential. It is hard for buyers to envision their two-car garage when it is piled to the ceiling with boxes and clutter. This mess sends a sign that there is no room in the house, so they will not be able to use these areas for their real purposes. If your basement is finished take the time to create a usable area, like a family room or game room feel for the kids. Families will love this feature. Repair any cracks in the concrete flooring. If your garage floor is especially dirty from oils and dirt, give it a good scrubbing and a fresh coat of concrete paint. Fresh paint makes a tired area look new and fresh.
Taking the time to complete these steps can help move your house quickly through the selling process and send you and your family quickly on your way to your new home. Creating an environment that appeals to as many buyers as possible will you’re your home an edge that will make it stand out from the rest. Your time and energy will be rewarded with a faster offer and most likely a higher selling price.
