Selling Your House: How To Get The Best Selling Price Without Spending A Fortune
Although buying a home can be a demanding process, selling a home has its own challenges. Sellers must understand from the outset that there is only one chance to make a first impression with each prospective homebuyer.
Despite what some sellers may think, getting ready to sell a home doesn’t have to cost a fortune. However, not preparing your home for sale will cost you the sale price and the time the home spends on the market. If you’re working with a real estate professional, they can usually tell you exactly what you need to do to get your house sold faster and for a higher price.
When prospective homebuyers search for homes for sale, their first image of the home will be an exterior view. This is the first chance sellers have to make a lasting impression. Curb appeal is one of the most important steps in preparing your home for sale; make sure the look of your home is inviting and inviting. For some this may include planting flowers along the sidewalk and trimming bushes, for others it will mean painting the shutters and giving the door a fresh coat of paint. Be sure to store sports equipment, toys and garden tools out of sight or organize them in the garage.
Once you’re sure the curb appeal is good, it’s time to tackle the interior. Prepping the interior of the house tends to be a bit more time-consuming and detail-oriented. Make sure all repairs are done ahead of time so you don’t waste time trying to cover up cracked walls, broken tiles, or leaky faucets right before showings. Be thorough in its maintenance so that it does not become a problem in the future.
The next step is to tidy up your house. Selling your house and living in your house are two completely different things. When future homebuyers arrive in turn, they want to mentally move into the house. They want to visualize their paintings on the walls, where their furniture will fit, and how they can personalize the bathrooms. If you want your house to sell itself, go through each room and remove little trinkets, gadgets, excessive family photos, and unnecessary decoration.
Do everything you can to make your rooms appear spacious: remove small rugs, put away extra furniture, replace many small plants with one large plant, and add mirrors where possible.
The last phase, and the most detailed part of preparing houses for sale, is finding small ways to fix up your house that will go a long way when you show your house. Here are some suggestions to get you started:
- Wash all moldings/trim/floor boards/ceiling trim
- Change out light bulbs and clean lamps
- Open the curtains and blinds to let in natural light.
- Clean light switch covers
- Put fresh, clean towels in bathrooms.
- Use your senses – feel the countertops and make sure they are completely clean and use air fresheners or candles for a pleasant aroma throughout the house.
Is there such a thing as doing too much? Yes, of course there is, when you start making improvements for the next owners and not for your own benefit.
If the process seems too stressful and completely overwhelming, or if you don’t know what to change and how to improve your home on your own, there is an answer: hire a professional home stager. Preparing homes for sale before they go on the market is becoming a more widely known and used profession. Professional home stagers have learned how to best prepare a home for resale. Through a little extra decorating, furniture rearrangement, and clutter, organizers can create an airy look, a homey feel, and a comfortable flow within the home. Similar to finding an agent, you can find professionals on the scene through referrals from people you know and trust.
Don’t leave the preparation for the day you show your house! Plan ahead and prepare your home so you can get the most out of your home in the shortest amount of time.