10 Tips to Selling Your Home FAST
1) First impressions are the only impression. No matter how amazing the interior of your home is, buyers have already judged it from the outside. Make sure the lawn is mowed; there are no dead, potted plants; and you’ve done some sprucing with inexpensive shrubs and colorful flowers.
The entrance into your home should be just as welcoming. Add a bench at the entrance, a fresh vase of flowers or even some cookies!
2) Always be ready to show your home. Buyers will be interested in viewing your apartment without any warning. While you’re selling, make sure your house is in tip-top shape from the day it’s on the market, till the day you get it sold. Clean your dishes every night, don’t let dust bunnies collect in the corners and make sure your bathrooms are sparkling. I know it’s not convenient, but if buyers are viewing a dirty home they will automatically assume that they’ll be moving into someone else’s mess and will be turned off the second they walk in the door.
3) Your kitchen is your priority. Selling a home with up to date, stainless steel appliances is a huge plus. A buyer could knock $10,000 off for an out of date kitchen. But, I get it! Remodeling is expensive.
The fastest and most inexpensive way to update your kitchen is with a fresh layer of paint and new cabinet hardware. Choose neutral colors so your potential buyers can begin imagining their own style. If you have a little more money to spend, install one stainless steel appliance. If buyers see just one expensive, stainless steel appliance, they’ll assume the rest of the kitchen is much more updated than it is.
4) Depersonalize your home. The more pictures or memorabilia that you can put in storage the better. You want your home to look happily lived in, but not so much that potential buyers can’t imagine your home being THEIR home. If possible, consider hiring a stager. Staging a home simply means arranging your furniture to best show off the floor plan and to maximize the space.
5) Avoid mammoth upgrades. Quick fixes and updates are a good way to get your money’s worth. Re-modeling the entire home?…Not so much. You will most likely not get your money back. Repainting your walls, replacing closet and cabinet hardware, making sure doors and closets open without squeaking, fixing leaky faucets and cleaning out grout are upgrades more worth your time and money!
6) Hide your furry family members. Unfortunately, your cats and dogs don’t help you when selling your home. Buyers will automatically assume your home is dirty, and maybe even smelly. When you know buyers will be touring your home, arrange for your animals to spend the day at daycare.
7) Choose the right agent. Make sure he/she is informed, constantly monitoring the Multiple Listing Service (or MLS), is aware of what properties are going on the market, and what houses in your area are going for. Find someone who is tech savvy and thus has a number of tools and resources to get your home sold.
8) Maximize the light in your home. Take down the drapes, clean the windows, trim the hedges, change the lamp shades and increase the wattage of your light bulbs! Do what you have to do to make your home bright and cheery.
9) Everyone is looking for storage. Take half of your stuff out of your closet and neatly organize what’s left. All your cabinets should be kept neat and tidy, they will look more spacious and taken care of.
10) Find out what your home is worth and shave off 10%. It’s risky, but you’ll be flooded with so many offers that buyers will end up bidding higher and higher hoping to outbid their competitors. You’ll either walk away having made what your home is worth, or more.
Good Luck!
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