By investing time in the appearance of your home for potential buyers, you are more likely to receive more offers and sell your home. Homes that sit on the market longer are typically harder to sell. Repairing and staging your home could help your home appeal to more buyers, but they can also be costly or time-consuming. Here are some tips and tricks to make sure your home is ready for the market.
Make Repairs
Identifying any potential repairs should be your first step before staging your home. You want to make sure your home is in the best condition possible for any potential buyers. Normal wear and tear can begin to add up, especially if you have been in that house for a long time. Go inspect each room carefully to see if there are any minor repairs to be made. Buyers could see any potential quirks as a problem and decrease the value of the home. You should make sure that any system that could potentially leak is leak free, and that your appliances are in good condition. Therefore, if there are any easy and quick do-it-yourself problems that can be fixed, fixing them could help your home sell faster. Presale inspections can be helpful to see what needs to be done and make sure you can sell your home as quickly as possible.
Declutter
Big kitchens and living rooms are huge selling points for potential buyers. If you can declutter your home and make the rooms look bigger, you are more likely to sell faster. Professional designers recommend getting rid of 50% of your items when getting your home ready for staging. Instead of shoving everything in closets or drawers, use storage bins to organize everything under the beds or in closets. That way everything looks organized in case someone opens a closet or drawer. You can even hire a professional organizer to help you declutter.
Depersonalize
Depersonalizing your home means getting rid of any photos or personal belongings. It neutralizes the space by removing religious belongings, diplomas, souvenirs, and any sort of collections you may have on display. This allows potential buyers to really envision themselves in the home. You do not want the buyer to feel like they are intruding on your home if they are looking at buying it. You could also consider making your home feel a little more modern if your style is out of date. You do not want buyers to miss out on any important features.
Paint
A fresh coat of paint can really improve your home before selling. Painting is an easy way to fix any potential paint chips. It also is a perfect way to make your home feel new! It is the first recommendation that any real estate agent is going to tell their client when they are looking for a new home. It is important to be mindful of your color choice. Bright colors are so fun, it is recommended to stick to neutral colors when getting your home ready for potential buyers. This will allow them to really envision how they want to design and decorate the space. If you only have time to decorate a few rooms, HouseLogic recommends painting the kitchen, foyer, bathrooms, and entryway. These can just be touch-ups or easy do-it-yourself projects.
Staging
After you have gone over all the previous steps it's time to set the stage. The goal of staging a home is to create a great first impression that puts your home at the top of the buyer's list. According to Realtor.com, staged homes sell 88% faster than homes that are not staged. You do not need to spend a lot of money on staging. Some fresh updates can help your home feel new. Focus on staging the rooms buyers care about most. Those rooms include the kitchen, living room, bathrooms, and the primary bedroom. Some of those staging updates can include throwing a new throw blanket over the couch in the living room or on the bed in the master.
Keep it Clean
Being consistent with cleaning will help you in the long run. Letting your rooms clutter will take up more of your time before open houses. Creating a cleaning schedule and sticking to it is a great way to be consistent about cleaning. Make it a habit to wipe down bathroom and kitchen counters daily, and keep your front porch as clean as possible. If you have children or pets, make sure to keep their toys organized and stored in one place. Give your children an incentive to make sure they clean up after themselves.
How We Can Help!
At Prestige Properties, we want to make sure you have your dream home. We pride ourselves on our personable and helpful agents who work with you from start to finish. Whether you are selling or buying a home, we can help you. Contact us today to talk to one of our real estate agents.