Selling a home is one of the most stressful things that people experience, as it is typically one of the biggest sales they make in their life. There are several things you can do to make your home ready to sell and to attract more buyers.
Here you will find five tips and tricks to aid you in preparing your home for the market.
1. Fix What is Broken
When preparing a home for the market, it is vital that everything is functioning properly. For many homeowners, there is an ever-increasing to do list. Tasks are often prioritized in order of most pressing to least important. For some, this least important list may result in small cosmetic repairs, while others may have more functional repairs.
As the homeowner, these small repairs may have become the status quo, but this will not be sufficient for potential homebuyers. Now is the time to go through this list and make sure all of these small irregularities are remedied. This will help to ensure that when your home hits the market, and later goes through inspections, it will meet the standard that many homebuyers expect.
2. Add Fresh Paint
As a rule of thumb, paint should be refreshed every 3-5 years. This number can be less depending on the room and the level of traffic it endures. With this in mind, it is more than likely that your home needs to be painted in preparation for placing it on the market.
An additional consideration when painting your home is determining the proper color of paint. Although you may enjoy a colorful home, try to steer clear of too many colors and stick with a neutral color scheme. The new homeowner will be able to better picture their own style when they tour the premises.
3. Declutter
An additional consideration when putting your home on the market is decluttering. Although you may have designed the home to function best for your family and emphasize your greatest treasures, they will not always be considered treasures by potential homebuyers. Remove your emotions from the process and depersonalize your space.
Some of the ways you can depersonalize your space is by taking down the pictures of your family. When you hang anything on the wall, it should only act as an enhancement to the space, not a distraction. Perhaps add a beautiful mirror in the place of a large family portrait to help bring in lighter and make the space feel larger.
Other spaces to consider decluttering include your closets, counters, cabinets, the garage, etc. Countertops should be clear, except for the very occasional decor piece. When deciding how much you should declutter your closets, always decrease your belongings by 50%. You want to give the impression that you have more than enough space for your belongings.
If you are struggling with organizing and decluttering your home, consider bringing in an individual that has no personal ties to the space and is able to make unemotional decisions on what should stay or go. This is where a realtor can be helpful.
4. Hire a Stager
Once you have repaired, refreshed, and decluttered your space, consider bringing in a professional stager. This individual will be able to Feng Shui your home, and determine the proper placement of furniture and pieces in order to make the space flow more smoothly.
A professional will also be able to somewhat update your space, regardless of if you have updated your home. They can work with light, placement, and decor to make your home more inviting for potential homebuyers.
5. Take Professional Pictures
After you have prepared your home visually, it is important to hire a professional to photograph the space. A professional will be able to use proper lighting and angles to highlight the best features of your home.
Too many times, homes are listed with dark, uninviting pictures that many potential homebuyers will be uninterested in pursuing further. With professional photography your home will stand out against its competitors, as professional pictures will denote a more well cared for space.
Conclusion
Some may choose to work with a real estate agent from the beginning, as they can help to direct you in accomplishing these tasks. A real estate agent will also help you price your home at an appropriate number, as they are more familiar with the market.
There are also alternative options. Some individuals may choose to skip this stress altogether and sell their property as-is. Work with a company like Light Street Residential to remove any stress, sell your home in record time, and walk away with the beautiful memories you built there.