Most of us have sold a home at some point, and many of you have sold multiple homes in your life. It’s never an easy task, but the reward—moving into a wonderful new home—generally outweighs all the work that goes into selling your existing home. So, if you are dreaming about the possibility of buying or building a new home soon, here are several tips and strategies that will help you sell quickly and get top dollar for your home. Come to think of it, doing many of these suggestions on a regular basis will help make the home you live in more livable and enjoyable!
Declutter
Perhaps the biggest obstacle to selling your own home is you and your stuff. Many of us become blind to how much “stuff” we have and don’t use. Decluttering will truly make your house feel larger. Few want to take this essential first step. But if you don’t, it just adds to your moving expenses. And sorry, shoving things into closets isn’t acceptable since would-be buyers will open all the closets to see how big they are. A closet that is overstuffed looks small – just like a house full of clutter.
This goes for the outside too. Cut back unruly trees and shrubs, especially those that have become overgrown and block views from the windows . Add some colorful container gardens to the front porch to welcome your potential buyers. Small details like this help create a good first impression.
Clean Up – Touch Up
The more stuff that you take away from the house – the more you might see a stain on the carpet or that scuff on the wall. Yes – those items must be addressed.
And don’t forget to get the windows cleaned. Once your deep cleaning is complete – you must keep it clean. If you have a house full of kids, this task is even tougher, but give it your best shot.
Light it Up
The first thing you or your realtor should do is to turn on all the lights before the potential buyers arrive. That means every light fixture and lamp—even lights you don’t turn on regularly. Pull up any blinds and pull back the drapes to let the sunshine in! Bright light helps to make your house look bigger. It will also reveal if your house isn’t clean – which takes us back to the previous point.
Make It Like a Model
To really make the house feel special, think about it as a model home. There should be music playing – especially if your house has a sound system that the would-be buyers might not have noticed otherwise. It should smell good, so have some lightly scented “plug-ins” around the house. If you have a pet – make sure buyers can’t tell that from the smell. Have an image on the TV. With today’s technology, there are a series of scenic images the TV can cycle through. If you have a gas or electric fireplace, make sure it is on. If there is a pool, spa, or water feature, make sure they are running, especially if they include the sound of water moving.
Lights, Action, Camera
Now that the house is decluttered, cleaned, well-lit and staged with flickering fire and TV’s – what a great time to take pictures. Make sure to hire a good photographer and be sure to scrutinize the shots they take. Have a few accessories ready to embellish the shots such as a bowl of fresh fruit in kitchen, fresh flowers in key rooms, wine glasses in the sitting area.
Be sure to include the view from the kitchen sink to allow buyers to understand how the house will live. If you have a big closet or walk-in pantry, be sure to include these areas in your photos. A few evening or dusk shots will allow potential buyers to see the house at various times of day.
Lively Listing
Remember, most buyers will see your house on the internet first. This is all about that first impression. Assemble your amazing photography starting and ending with a couple of great shots. Then you can organize them as if they were walking through the house.
Make a list of all the unique features in the home not apparent from the photos like the convection feature in the oven, the nest thermostat, and the reverse osmosis water purifier. Be sure to capture the community amenities in your description and list the nuances of your location including proximity to shopping, dining, school.
Do Not Forget the Floor Plan
I realize this may be a difficult step for many, but having a good set of floor plans available to view online is worth it. Better yet, have a 3D tour of the home so that the prospective buyer can “walk” through the house online. Include the site plan. If the house doesn’t have a pool, but has room for one, you could delineate how big a pool and where it could be located on this site plan.
Bottom Line
Let’s be realistic. A resale home is a used home. However, there are many steps you can take to make it look like a “gently used” home. Remember, buying a home is an emotional decision for buyers. Think about all the ways they should fall in love with your home. Putting in the effort will improve your chances of standing out in a sea of used homes and get you into your new home sooner!
Adapted from Housing Design Matters Blog