In this current home market, you want to be prepared and to do all that you can to sell your home quicker and for more money. By following these few important guidelines, you will see how little things can add significant value to your home.
- Air Quality, odour, pets and holiday decorations can influence whether or not a buyer will make an offer on your home. Buyers want to envision themselves living in the house, and if the home is not presented in a manner that will allow them to do that easily, most buyers will move on.
- Your exterior says a lot about how your home is maintained both inside and out. When buyers see an attractive exterior they will be eager to stop and excited to view the interior as well.
- Depersonalizing is an important step when it comes to selling your home. Disconnecting yourself from your house will allow buyers to emotionally connect and envision themselves living there. You need to commit to removing your identity from the house and focus on turning your home into a "model home".
- Flooring is a very important part of preparing your home for sale. The flooring will reveal to buyers how well the home has been maintained. Up-to-date flooring in one of the top selling features buyers are looking for.
- Proper furniture and lighting placement will display the room to its full potential. Keep in mind the traffic flow and ho buyers will walk through each room. When furniture and lighting are properly placed, you will be able to show off the prime features and allow buyers to see the specific function of each room. Make sure to have all lights on for showings and taking photos of the home.
- The overall impression of your home is important, but most buyers will focus on the main selling rooms first. Make sure these rooms have an exceptional first impression.
- Buyers want to purchase a home that is move-in ready. If your house is painted in very bright or unusual colors, then potential buyers may be turned off or feel that they can negotiate on your asking price. Neutral colors are restful to the eye, and most buyers want to live in the home for awhile before deciding if they want to change the paint color.
- Preparing your home for sale is not just about pre-packing, clutter and editing, but this is a big part of it. Your house needs to be neat, clean and orderly. Organizing and pre-packing items that are not regularly used will create a spacious feeling. Storage is one of the top items on a buyer's list.
- Take an objective look at your house to determine what updates and repairs are necessary. Based on your timeline and budget you will be able to determine what needs to be completed to improve the overall presentation of your home. Buyers today are looking to purchase a home that does not require work. They are willing to pay more for a house that has been well looked after, so show them that your home is in turnkey condition.
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Consider having your home inspected before it is listed. By having this done, you will learn if there are any major repairs needed and can address them before the house goes on the market. This will also show buyers and their Realtors that you have been proactive.
This includes the exterior, foundation, roofing, heating, ventilation and cooling, plumbing, electrical, insulation, and interior.
A home inspection will help you determine what the next steps are in preparing your home for sale. By having the home inspected before it is listed, you can avoid nasty surprises during negotiations and make your home more attractive to buyers by attending to necessary repairs.
A pre-listing home inspection can provide a list of potential upgrades as well, that may help you sell faster and for a higher price.
Some Buyers will waive an inspection and go with the one you have and this will make your sale less complicated with conditions. Buyers will appreciate that a home has been well kept and maintained in all areas. By being ahead of the game with your home repairs you will be ahead in the bank when the sale closes.
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Staging is the process of preparing a property for sale in order to appeal to the greatest number of potential buyers. Staging a home for the market is very different than decorating your home. It is much about the psychology of why people buy homes as it is about creating decor that has broad appeal.
Staging makes your house look bigger, brighter, cleaner, warmer, more loving and, best of all, it makes home buyers want to buy it. When there are fewer buyers and more listings in competition, every strategy should be employed to make a home stand out among the competitive listings in the area. Staging a home can make a huge difference in how it's perceived by prospective buyers.
Professional stagers are highly skilled artists. They can take a blank canvas and paint a sensuous portrait without ever lifting a paint brush. Stagers possess the skills of a top-level designer and they create dramatic scenery that appeals to all five senses. Here are some of their secrets:
Arrange sparse pieces of furniture in an appealing grouping known as a vignette
Showcase a generous usage of soft fabrics such as silk, lambswool, satin
Display unusual knickknacks in units of 1, 3 or 5
Drape window coverings with simple lines
Add unique elements to shelving, bookcases and fireplace mantels, which draw attention to predetermined areas
Stagers bring in a vast array of items to spruce up the house. Here is a small sampling of items professional stagers often use to dress each room. How they are utilized is limited only by the creativity and vision of the stager.
You can't change the location, you can't do anything about the current real estate market, but you can change the condition of your house and its presentation. A professional stager helps you to do these last two things and can positively improve the selling price of your house.
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