Tips To Enhance Your Home’s Resale Value

Your broker is responsible to market your home. However, You are in control of the marketability of your home.

In order to sell your home for the most money in the least time, you should do your best to impress potential buyers. Buyers feel more comfortable purchasing a well-cared for home because if what they can see is maintained, what they can’t see has probably also been maintained.

Since buyers tend to make a big deal about every minor flaw, minor repairs performed now will enhance appeal and deter haggling later on. What is known in the industry as “curb appeal” may become the difference between “SOLD” and “continued showings”.

You may consider your home one of your most prized possessions. You have decorated it to your liking and upgraded finishes to your tastes. However, potential purchasers may not feel the same way as they are not emotionally involved in your investment. Unlike you, they see the flaws you have come to ignore over the years.

They will notice drippy faucets, sticky doors, worn carpeting, and cracked ceramic tile. To them, these deficiencies are nothing but added expenses. However, the marketability of your home WILL increase if you take the time and effort to view it through their eyes, and take extra care in ensuring that minor things are attended to.

Getting Your Home Ready Outside - Maximize Exterior & Curb Appeal

Curb Appeal
Take a buyer’s-eye view. Walk up to your home and pretend that you have never seen it before. The grounds should be properly maintained summer and winter. Remove any debris, paint/stain where necessary, repair cracked stucco, park any extra vehicles somewhere else. In winter, make sure your driveway and entry sidewalk are free of snow and ice. In summer, have the lawn mowed and raked, shrubs trimmed, and plant some colorful flowers near the entry.

Front Entry
First impressions really do count. Sellers tend to overlook this area when they do not enter their home through the front door. Sweep the front porch and walkway. Remove all clutter. Make sure the front door is clean and the screen is in good repair.

Pets
The presence and/or odor of a pet should be avoided. While your pet may be your pride and joy, even a friendly dog’s barking may frighten a buyer. If you can’t remove your dog, try to confine it to the garage or dog run. Many buyers are allergic to cats, so be sure litter boxes are clean.

Getting Your Home Ready Inside

Remove the Clutter
Buyers won’t purchase a home if they can’t see it. If your home has too much furniture, overflowing closets, junk sitting in corners, and crowded kitchen and bath countertops, potential buyers cannot see your home. Removing clutter will make your home appear bigger and brighter. Put away all jewelry, prescription medicines or anything else you prefer prospective buyers not to see during showings.

Sometimes less is better. Accent items can make a room, too many personal items can be distracting. Remove anything you do not need or use. You will be moving them soon anyway. Fill up your garage or rent some off-site storage space if that is what it takes to clear out your home.

Clean!
Buyers want to move into a clean home. They feel more assured of that prospect if the home is spotless at it’s showing. Clean all surfaces, including walls, baseboard trim, window sills, light switches, doors, and light fixtures. Steam clean carpets and dust window blinds. Dust/wash off lint from the washer and dryer, even wash off the furnace and hot water heater. A sparkling clean home is sure to impress!

Kitchen and Bath
These rooms should gleam! Clean all appliances and fixtures. Replace chrome burner plates on the range. Clear off counters. Re-caulk/grout tubs and showers. Clean thoroughly and be sure these rooms smell fresh.

Keep Your Home Light & Bright
Do everything you can to brighten the interior. Replace wallpaper with off-white paint. Pull back your curtains and drapes so prospects can see how bright and cheery your home is. Let the sun shine in! For an evening showing, turn on all the lights - both inside and outside. Light adds color and warmth, and makes prospects feel welcome. During the winter, maintain a comfortable temperature even if you are away for an extended time.

Minor Repairs
Fix the “little things”! Oil squeaky doors, replace burnt out lights, repair windows, tighten doorknobs, repair dripping faucets and leaking toilets. Repair cracks, holes, or damage to plaster, wallpaper, paint, and tiles. Be sure sliding doors operate smoothly in their tracks and knobs on doors are secure. These repairs may seem small, but left undone they can lead buyers to question whether you have taken good care of your home.

The day your home goes on the market is an exciting one. Be sure to keep your home in good order. After all, potential buyers may arrive at your home on short notice and it is best to be prepared.

Prepare For Showings

Final Clean Up
Remove belongings from counters, halls, stairs, and floors. Vacuum if necessary. Make beds. Put all dishes in the dishwasher. Wipe down counters. Clean the sink and run the disposal. Straighten and wash clothes and towels. Remove laundry from the washer or dryer. Make closets neat and tidy. Make sure your home smells fresh.

Turn On Lights
Even during the day, especially in halls and dark areas.

Open The Blinds
Promote the views and allow sunlight in to provide a bright setting.

Leave
It is best if you are not present when your home is shown to prospective buyers. If you can’t leave, make yourself inconspicuous. Your presence will inhibit buyers' actions and conversations. They will not feel free to open closets and cabinets, test the plumbing, and discuss their observations objectively as they walk through it. Your children and pets should not be on the premises. If you get caught at home during a showing, don’t attempt to show your home. Let the agent show your home.

Following these tips will improve your chances for a quick sale. Or, Contact us! Our Appraiser/Brokers are available for complimentary, no obligation consultations on how to best present your home for sale.

Do You Want To Sell Your Home Fast For The Highest Possible Price?

Call Advantage Real Estate or Use Our Response Form!

970 / 926-1155