With all the uncertainty surrounding the economy and home prices in particular, your best option might be to stay if you don’t have to sell. But if you have no choice but to put your home on the market, it’s very important to make sure you do everything possible to sell it quickly and for the best possible price. First impressions are very important and potential buyers can be put off in an instant if they don’t like the look of your home, so follow our tips to make your home as welcoming as possible.
make your home look better
In terms of decor, keep everything simple and neutral. Find a balance between having too much of your own personality stamped all over the house and having no personality at all. Chipping paint or garish colors won’t do you any favors, so repainting the walls should give the place a refresh. Choose colors carefully: Try stone colors that have a bit of warmth but not too much character.
Sellers are often advised to de-personalize their home by removing family photos and photos of children because they can distract buyers and make it hard for them to imagine living there. Still, remember that a house should be exactly that, a house, so removing all evidence that you live there can make the house seem unwelcoming.
Giving your home a facelift doesn’t have to be expensive; A few simple, well-placed accessories and arrangements will help make your home more presentable. Here are some ideas to get you started.
- Large mirrors can help make a small room bigger, and they also reflect light, making the room appear brighter.
- Rearrange furniture to create the illusion of space. If a room seems a bit small, try moving the furniture, perhaps to another room, or even getting rid of it entirely.
- Open your curtains and blinds. This will automatically brighten up a room and make it appear more cheerful.
Clean until your home shines
This may seem obvious, but it is often overlooked and can make a world of difference when it comes to selling your home. Bathrooms in particular need to be spotless, so grab your marigolds and start scrubbing! Remove unnecessary toiletries and make sure towels are neat and clean. Be strict with yourself and declutter as much as possible. Things you can’t part with can be neatly stored in storage units.
Don’t bother buying an expensive new rug to replace a dirty one. Buyers may prefer laminate flooring and you could have wasted your money. Giving your rugs a shampoo and a thorough vacuum will certainly improve their appearance.
Be aware of how your home smells – nothing is more unpleasant than the smell of cigarette or pet smoke when you walk through the door! A good cleaning should remove most unpleasant odors, but fresh flowers and essential oils are great for making your house smell good. Don’t forget the garden. Wash the front and back doors, keep the grass mowed and tidy, and take out the hose to wash away the dirt. Again try some potted plants to make the area more attractive.
Market it at the right price
Have a realtor come over and give you some tips on how to improve your chances of selling. Also try neighbors and friends who can be honest with you about problems with your property and help you make some small changes.
Get three or four appraisals from different realtors to get a realistic idea of how much you can sell your house for. Don’t get sucked in by the highest valuation a real estate agent gives you. They may just be telling you what you want to hear.
The best advice from an expert
Real estate developer Gary McCausland has given us some great advice on how to sell your house fast.
- The exterior appearance of your house is one of the most important things when it comes to selling, and one of the things that people often overlook. Keep the front of the house neat and clean, remove moss or weeds from the walls, clean the gutters, and clean the windows and sills.
- Try painting the front door a deep black or blue; makes your home more likely to sell.
- Sell people a lifestyle. People want to look at a house and imagine a particular way of life that it will foster. Try leaving bottles of champagne in the kitchen or a cocktail dress hanging in a bedroom – viewers can look at these things and imagine that buying your house will give them the kind of life that involves parties and champagne.
- Point out key areas of potential. Potential is a big word in property, so show viewers any areas where they can expand or ideas for how they can use particular rooms. So if you have several bedrooms you can suggest that they would be ideal to convert into a nursery or study and if there is space to build a conservatory be sure to point it out.