Don’t spend more than you have to!
12 Low Cost Ideas
Twelve Low-Cost Ideas to Make Your Home More Sellable
Little things as well as the big things count when you are selling your home. You never know what buyers may love about your home or what will turn them off. Inevitably buyers respond to the same things--clean, clutter-free homes in good repair.
Always look at a home from the buyer's perspective. Be objective and honest with yourself. If something bothers you about your home, chances are good it will bother the buyer, too. A buyer may not buy your home for the reason that you are moving. Do what you can to get rid of the problem. You want to keep objections about your home to a minimum. Preparing a home for market means you'll be putting some elbow grease into it, so get ready.
11. Brightness sells
Increase the wattage throughout the house. Replace light bulbs in the laundry room, kitchen and bathrooms with bulbs of higher wattage. While your replacing the light bulb, take a close look at the light fixtures. Are they dated and unattractive? Light fixtures are easy to replace and there are many inexpensive options on the market. Remember to turn on lights in every room for showings.
12. Happiness sells
Put photos of the family enjoying your home in different places. Home buyers look at photos and photos of your family in happy situations evokes a positive response.
9. Counter space
The kitchen is one of the most important features of you home. Avoid counter clutter at all costs. Make sure dish racks, soap dishes and other clutter are not on the counter. We live in a world of gadgets. Store them away along with extra appliances, and make sure your refrigerator is not inundated with stickies and fridge magnets.
10. Avoid eccentric decor
De-personalize your teenager's room, the game room or other areas by removing wild posters or any decorative item that could be construed as offensive. Remove hanging beads in doorways, your children's jars with spiders or bugs, and anything that won't appeal to the masses.
8. Rooms with a view
Create a spacious feeling. Disguise unsightly views. Place birch logs in your fireplace or put a decorative screen or a basket of flowers in front if it’s not in use. Let the breezes move your sheer curtains at the window. All windows must be crystal clean & clear and make sure the interior is visible from the street.
6. Odors stink.
Nothing turns off buyers more than bad odors. From carpet freshener to potpourri, use cleansers of all kinds to make the home smell fresh, If you have pets deodorize cat litter & scoop litter daily and get rid of dog smells. Take advantage of aromatic cedar or solid air fresheners for inside the closets. We like the use of room sprays, but use with moderation, as they could stimulate allergies. Use the sense of smell to your advantage by having fresh-baked cookies on the kitchen table, or vanilla extract on a warm baking sheet in the oven.
3. Garage sale
Plan a garage sale prior to listing your home. This is a perfect time to clean out what you will not need in your next home. This exercise will get rid of clutter and enable the buyer to really see your home. If your moving in the winter, look into off site storage possibilities. Pack away all that you can. Home buyers will expect you to be preparing to move, so if you can’t move every box somewhere else, a few packing boxes here and there can be OK.
4. Welcome the buyer
You only get one chance to make a first impression. A well-worn cliché, but this is so true when trying to sell your home. Put out a new doormat, but avoid mats with cutesy sayings. Make sure the front door is clean and free of scratches. Put potted flowers on the porch and make sure your home has curb appeal. Make sure the front entry floor is always sparkling clean and the porch and steps are always swept. You want to give home buyers the “warm and fuzzies” and it begins when they walk up to your home
2. Paint
Painting is not as expensive as people assume. If you are willing to take up the challenge, painting will make your home more marketable and it can add value. Talk to a sales representative about the latest neutral colours, that can make your home more inviting. Remember, there is a difference between staging your home and decorating your home. If painting seems too big a task for you, consider painting the trim with a semi-gloss white. Which ever you choose paint, will make your home appear cleaner and give it a fresh look.
There are a few time-honored tricks you can use to make sure your buyer focuses what you want them to see and overlooks what you want them to overlook. Keeping your home in tip-top shape for showings will insure that your buyer will offer a higher amount than for a home that isn't BUYER READY.
1.Review your home
Buyers are becoming more meticulous about which home they are going to purchase. They are looking for turn-key homes. Take an objective walk through your home and ry to invision that you are seeing it for the first time. You may have put up with imperfections, but that doesn’t mean that they will. Contact us for a copy of our checklist.
5. Set the stage
Stimulate the buyer's imagination when they view your home. Make sure that your dining room table has a pleasant centre piece. If you have a fireplace, use the coziness and romance to your advantage. Don’t forget about the coffee table. A vase with flowers and well placed magazines, in addition to tasteful accents on bathroom vanities will go a long way to impressing buyers.
7. Space sells
Create a spacious feeling in your home. Move oversized furniture to a storage facility and make sure entrances to all rooms have an open flow. If that means moving your favourite chair out of the room until your home sells, then do it. Clean the excess out of all closets and place a few hangers, so that the buyer can visualize space. Make sure that all doors, cabinets and drawers aren’t sticking and can open all the way without bumping into anything.
Direct 858.7725
Lars & Michele Nielsen are Real Estate Sales Representatives working with Coldwell Banker Coburn Realty
