By: Diane Olson
If you’re thinking of selling your home…this can be a fun time or a very challenging time. Regardless of the reason you have decided to sell you need to be ready; it’s so important! Many people watch real estate shows on TV and see homes that are refurbished and ready for sale. These homes look like new models, everything is clean and new, updated and current and guess what, that’s exactly what they are going to expect when they come to look at your home!
While your home may look great it’s always a good idea to take a moment to make sure that you are doing everything to help it sell quickly and get you the most money back to you from your investment.
Here are some simple things that can really make difference:
- Paint your walls: Unless you have painted recently, this can make a real difference in the look, feel and smell of your home. Also, it is not bad idea to go with neutral colors and to have a constinous color throughout.
- Review your curb appeal: Are your bushes and shrubs a little overgrown? Just some simple trimming and cleaning up of the garden can really make the initial experience of your home a great one. If you’re replacing plants and planting new ones, consider drought resistant flowers and plants. Click here to get my guide.
- Take a hard look at your hardware: Your home can look very dated just because the doorknobs are from a decade ago. Consider swapping out the handles on doors and even hinges on cupboards. This is a small expense that can pay big dividends.
- Clean up: Clutter is distracting. It takes away from the beauty of a room. Go through and clean out the clutter. It’s Spring anyway and it’s a great time to clean up. Additionally, one thing that can make a big impact is to clean light switch panels and areas around handles on doors. Also don’t forget scuff marks on kick plates and baseboards.
- Clean the carpets and floors: Do this last, but make sure you do it. A clean floor is essential in what makes a home smell better and feel better.
- Stage your rooms: Not everyone, in fact most people cannot afford to do a complete staging. But everyone can do better with what they have and most often it is simply to have less of it. Take a good look at to your rooms and try to see them new as if this was the first time your walked in. Rearrange the furniture to open up the room and make it more inviting.
- Update the lighting: Sometimes this can be as easy as changing a lamp or two, especially the ones that come with the house. Make sure they match the home’s décor and color. Also, it never hurts to have more efficient LED Bulbs already in the lighting in your home. This can be a big plus!
- Get your windows and screens cleaned: Nothing makes a home and a room more inviting than clean windows! And don’t forget the screens. This is inexpensive and really adds to how buyers will see how you’ve taken care of your home.
- Clean your garage: This is easy to do. Don’t be afraid to put some stuff in storage. You want your garage to be clean and open.
- Research your own Property: This is so important. Knowledge is power and in this case money. Pick a great Real Estate agent and have her prepare a Comparative Market Analysis for you. Have an honest discussion around price, what you want, what you expect and most importantly what you need.
There are many other things that you can do. I would love to share them with you personally and help you in preparing and listing your home for sale. Call me at (949) 422-1722 or send me an email dianeolson@bhhscal.com