Selling a home can be almost as exciting as buying a home. Perhaps you are downsizing after all of the kids have moved out of the house. Maybe you are flipping a house that you purchased after fixing it up from a poor condition. Whatever your reason for selling the house is, trying to get the highest price point is crucial to making a profit.
Pricing a property is a complex process. What amenities does it have? What is the condition of the foundation and architecture? Does it have a lot of curb appeal? Where is the property located? All of these questions factor into the listing price.
However, if you don’t have the budget to make massive upgrades that will skyrocket the value of the home, there are still some strategies you could employ to entice buyers further and possibly make them willing to spend a little bit more if there is interest from other parties. When you are preparing to sell your home, try out some of these ideas.
Clean, Clean, Clean
A clean home gives buyers a realistic vision of how things will look when they move in. The natural clutter and disorganization that may come with everyday life are not as attractive to look at in pictures or during an open house. The more cleaning you can do to make the space as fresh as possible, the better.
Organize the kitchen and other living areas so that they are clear. Pressure washing the home’s exterior will add that extra shine while getting rid of dirt and grime buildup to boost curb appeal. Dust the harder-to-reach areas to make sure no one is turned off by a buildup of debris. You may even consider hiring a professional carpet cleaning service to take care of old stains. A clean house will show buyers that you have cared for the property and that it is in good condition for the next owner.
Apply Fresh Paint Strategically
Paint is a great enhancer for parts of the interior and exterior. If you have a deck that is beginning to fade, sand it down and give it a fresh coat of paint. Do you have wooden trim or baseboard that looks old-fashioned? Go around the house and paint it white or another lighter color. Even small touch-up jobs that you never addressed while living there can go a long way toward convincing a buyer to purchase your home.
Touch Up the Landscaping
If you are selling during the warmer months, tending to your yard’s landscaping needs will also be helpful as you show off the property to buyers. Trim the overgrown bushes or low-hanging tree branches that disrupt the openness of the yard. Look for high-quality mulch near you to throw down a layer in your garden that enhances the color and locks in key nutrients for better plant growth. Use a weed whacker to clean up the edges around the house, driveway, sidewalks, and borders of the property. Keep the lawn mowed to a consistent level during the selling process so that no buyers are concerned about an overgrown yard. If the summer has been particularly dry and you see brown patches everywhere, consider watering the grass with a sprinkler to bring it to life.
All of these little touches can increase curb appeal and entice buyers to make a decision.
Stage the Rooms Properly
Many people decide to take pictures of their home’s interior themselves when attempting to sell the house. This could end up undermining your efforts.
Real estate agents and professional stagers know how to make a space look beautiful and comfortable in a picture. If you do not understand certain design principles, you could unintentionally make the space look too small or appear cluttered and ugly. You should either hire a professional to stage your home, ask for assistance from an experienced agent, or do some research yourself.
Some key points to remember when staging and photographing your home are angles, natural lighting, and details. If possible, use a wide-angle lens for your photos to make the space appear larger and capture as much information about the room as possible. Take pictures during the brightest part of the day rather than having to turn on artificial lights. Details matter, so capture those that are a highlight of the room and use reflections wisely. Beautiful photos could raise your potential profit on the sale, so make sure that your home is staged properly.
Make Selling Your Home a Project
No company sells a product without first making sure that it is high-quality. If a chocolate store that specializes in designed chocolates makes a deformed product, they will not even display it. Likewise, you must be willing to put in work to sell your home at a higher profit. These mini home improvement projects can boost curb appeal, elevate the buyer’s perception of your home, and result in better offers.
