Before You Market Your Home

Are you dreaming of moving from your current home into brand new construction? You might be looking to downsize as your nest has emptied. Selling your current home is all that’s standing in the way of making a new move a reality. The market is competitive right now with lots of buyers. The key to selling your home quickly is to make your home attractive to buyers.

If you have recently decided to sell your home there are some things that you should consider before you put it on the market.

Organize and declutter

Organizing and decluttering your house may seem like the least sexy way to refresh your home, but it’s really not. Clutter can make the most beautiful home seem unappealing. Having pretty décor around your house gives a warm and cozy feeling; but having a ton of junk, newspapers, and magazines, not so much. You want your home to feel lived in and loved, but not cramped and messy.

A key to creating a larger feel to your home is to declutter. Begin one room at a time and take an inventory of everything that you see. Decide what is essential. Do you really need that Time Magazine from February 2017? Probably not. Grab some bins and separate them by what you should keep, what you can give away or donate, and what is trash. If there are small things you want to keep, consider placing the items in totes that have lids. Store them in those totes and then take them up to the attic. That way they’ll be there if you need them, but are out of site when you don’t.

The less clutter around a room, the cleaner the room will be. If you’ve already got a crowded place, even one or two additional items like pairs of shoes, or food wrappers will quickly make things look a mess. Do yourself a favor and clear the clutter.

Don’t neglect the garage

When getting your home ready to market, maximizing every inch of square footage is important. If your garage is the junk room of your house, you’re missing an opportunity to increase the value of your home. Potential home buyers will likely want a garage that is clean and roomy enough to hold their cars. Simply adding some shelving around the walls makes organizing items neater. There are tons of storage options available in addition to shelving. Get creative.

Having a garage that is ready for a potential home owner to store their tools and other garage kept items is very appealing.

Curb appeal

The first and simplest step to sprucing up your curb appeal is to simply get your yard cleaned up. Clearing what can be perceived as junk out of your yard is a great place to start. People want a lovely yard that’s covered in grass. Tossing scraps of wood or other building materials on the side of the yard is a sure way of making the lawn look junky. There are several ways to enhance the curb appeal of the house through landscaping. Pull the weeds from your landscape beds. If the mulch in the beds is old and faded, replace it. Clean mulch brings a feeling of attention to detail. Don’t skimp there.

Curb appeal extends from your lawn up to the exterior of your home. Think about making a dramatic entry way with a bold front door color. Just be sure it compliments the other colors around your home’s exterior. Adding decorative elements like house flags adds warmth and a bit of whimsy.

Repair Problem Areas

The first step in making your home attractive to buyers is to be sure everything is working and looking as it should. Any problem areas should be addressed before putting your home on the market. If there are outdated leaky faucets in bathrooms; change them. This is a small and easy fix that you can do yourself. Other small things like missing trim, worn carpet, stained walls, are all red flags to a potential home buyer. Any questionable areas will play a big part in the offer they make.

When a potential buyer is going through a property to buy, they are calculating how much they are going to have to spend to correct any areas that need attention. You can expect them to shave money off of your asking price to cover these costs. The key is to present a property that buyers will be anxious to purchase. Make your home physically attractive as well as fiscally attractive.

If you have walls that have paint that is stained or weathered you definitely need to consider repainting the walls to make them look fresh and new. This is also true if you have rooms painted in non-traditional colors. You may love that orange accent wall in your guest room but it’s likely a potential home buyer may not. Go neutral so any décor will fit in flawlessly.

Stage it Well

Having fresh décor is the easiest and most common home improvement you can make. Fresh paint on the walls in neutral colors can add life to dull room. If you currently have worn furniture that’s seen its better days but can’t afford to buy new, consider renting. You can rent a room full of furniture without the commitment to continue to do so when your home sells. Simply return the furnishings upon the sell of the home.

Showing your home with stylish, tasteful décor will help potential buyers see your home as something special. Keep is simple. For ideas on staging your home check sites like Pinterest for ideas.

Deep clean

The easiest way to get your home ready to go on the market is to do a thorough deep clean. Go top to bottom. From the crown moulding to the baseboards, clean and polish everything. In the kitchen, make sure the cabinets are dirt and grease free. Countertops should remain clear with only the bare minimum of small appliances. Be sure floors are mopped and vacuumed at all times. Don’t give a potential buyer the opportunity to look at your home when you’ve let your guard down and neglected things like making the bed. Be certain your home is free of any offensive odors that could turn away a potential buyer.

Having a home that sparkles is the most important thing you can do when marketing your home.