Selling a home can be a challenging endeavor, especially if you’re entering a competitive market, where homebuyers can afford to be discriminating. They’re searching for the best home available, so you need to find a way to make yours stand out.
The good news is, you don’t need to break the bank or spend too much time in order to make your home as attractive as possible to potential buyers. Here are a few helpful tips to keep in mind:
Boost your curb appeal
Remember that you have limited window to create a great first impression. When you have potential buyers walking up to your home, you have about less than a minute to impress them.
How your house appears from outside will set the tone for the entire tour. If it looks well-maintained from the outside, there are a good chance potential buyers might also look past less desirable aspects in its interiors. The best thing about improving curb appeal is even simple stuff can be effective, such as repainting your door and trim, improving your landscape, or adding a new paved walkway.
Depersonalize and “neutralize”
You might be proud to display your impressive collection of vintage movie posters, sports memorabilia, or great family photographs, but keep in mind that potential buyers may not want to see them. Your objective is to make buyers see themselves living in your home, and the best way to do this is to make your home appear as though it’s a blank slate.
Try to create a neutral appearance for your interiors – use beige, light gray, or off-white shades instead of bold colors, hide personal photos, and remove any touches that might overwhelm buyers.
Clean as if there’s no tomorrow
This one should be pretty obvious – an untidy, dingy-looking home will attract zero buyers. Make sure every surface appears spotless by polishing, dusting, sweeping, scrubbing, and scraping until your home looks in pristine condition.
Along with cleaning, make sure to get rid of all the clutter. You don’t have to discard anything if you choose, just make sure it’s out of sight. Getting rid of the clutter will help your rooms look more spacious. But don’t stop there – make sure your storage spaces, including closets, shelves, and kitchen and bathroom cabinets are free from items as well, so buyers can see all the storage potential they’ll get if they buy your home.
Stage your home
Staging your home means highlighting its best features and drawing attention away from its faults. While cleaning and decluttering are both part of the staging process, it also includes putting elegant touches, like setting up your dining room like you’re preparing to host a feast, adding a bowl filled with fresh fruits in the kitchen, or using hotel-like pillows and linens for your bedroom.
Make sure every room has a clearly defined purpose. For example, if you’re using a spare bedroom for excess storage, convert it back into a bedroom. Make it a point as well to do some research on your market and adjust accordingly – if you live in an area with lots of new families, set up a small bedroom as a children’s room or nursery.