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If you are planning on selling your home, there are a lot of actions that you can take to ensure that it is appealing both inside and out. A pretty exterior can bring potential homebuyers into your home, but if the interior is cluttered and dirty, it will discourage offers. A well-staged home can actually increase its value!
You wouldn’t want a potential buyer to tour your home and think “Did they even try to stage it?” These tips and tricks can help your home look stunning and ready to hit the market!
Cleaning and Repairs
Clean, Scrub, Sparkle!
A house free of dirt and grime shows potential homebuyers that it has been well-maintained during your tenure. Preferably, every surface in the house should be cleaned, from the floors to the ceilings. This includes dusting, vacuuming, mopping, cleaning appliances, etc. Even small nooks and crannies that are not seen often should be spotless. Your goal should be to make the house look brand new.
Declutter
Leaving household items strewn about your home can distract buyers from the home’s features. Clutter also takes up space, which can make your home appear smaller than it is. Decluttering is a great excuse to throw out or donate items you may no longer need, freeing up storage space. Decluttering makes it easier for buyers to imagine their own possessions in empty spaces, and it is much harder for them to imagine themselves living there if it is untidy. It is okay to keep a few potted plants out, but don’t go overboard.
Flooring
Stained or chipped flooring can give a bad impression to buyers, as it would become their responsibility if they were to purchase your home. Replacing outdated tile or carpet with materials like hardwood or ceramic tiling will make your home more appealing to a wide range of buyers.
Painting
You may enjoy the turquoise and burgundy color scheme in the guest bedroom, but your buyers may not. Removing wallpaper and painting walls a neutral color gives buyers a blank slate to work with if they purchase your home. While it may be hard to say goodbye to your unique room design, it gives buyers a chance to imagine their own in that space.
General Repairs
Not every issue needs to be fixed before you show off your home to buyers. If there are problems such as malfunctioning appliances or foundational issues with your home, it is your responsibility to let buyers know before they make a purchase. Whether you want to fix every issue with your home is your choice, but inform buyers to remain transparent and ensure the house is safe.
Making the Buyer Feel At-Home
Feel-Good Smells
If you are selling your home, you want it to smell appealing for potential buyers that enter. This includes taking out the trash, using candles to give you home a pleasant (but not overwhelming) aroma, and removing lingering pet smells. Avoid using aerosol-based sprays or air fresheners, as they can trigger allergic reactions in sensitive individuals. Placing vases with fresh flowers in different rooms is a great way to make the house smell good while also giving it some color.
Lighting
When showing a home to buyers, you want to make the home as bright as possible. A bright home is a welcoming home. This means you should open up all the curtains and blinds, as well as switch all the lights on. (This includes turning on the lights in closets and storage areas!) Make sure that all existing light fixtures are clean, and replace any that are outdated or broken.
Define Rooms
Even though a buyer may turn your office into an art studio, it is still crucial to make sure each room in your home has a defined purpose. Show buyers that every room of your home is full of usable space. Turn that half-empty, full-of-boxes room in the basement into a guest bedroom or a play room. Showing buyers the potential of a space may increase their likelihood of purchasing your home.
Furniture
Managing the balance between furniture and room size prevents your home from looking smaller than it is or empty and desolate. If you think your furniture is outdated or will not look good for staging, high-quality furniture can be rented for a fraction of its purchase price. Additionally, remove any items that are very personal to you. Buyers want to envision themselves living in that space, so moving family photos or toiletries somewhere out of sight allows them to imagine living in that space.
By implementing the strategies above, your house will be the talk of the town! For more tips on how to improve your home’s exterior and curb appeal, click here.
