In a competitive real estate market like ours, properly preparing your home to be shown and sold is critical. By taking the extra time – and a little extra money – to freshen up or upgrade your home, you can actually reduce the amount of time your home will stay on the market. Here are five tips to help you sell your home fast this spring!
- Depersonalize your home to make it more appealing to prospective buyers. They will want to be able to visualize themselves in your home. That’s easier to do when the home’s décor is neutral and your personal belongings are kept to a minimum. (See our March 8 blog post for more specific suggestions.)
- Declutter, declutter, declutter. Decluttering is one of the quickest, easiest, most affordable ways to boost your home’s attractiveness. Get rid of things you don’t use, and put anything you won’t need immediately in a closet, shed, storage unit or somewhere else out of the way. This can also help you figure out what needs to be packed and can be tossed out. Considering donating unwanted items to a local charity, or hold a garage sale to clean house.
- Improve your home’s curb appeal. Look at your home from a home buyer’s perspective. Is the yard well taken care of? Is the entryway inviting? What small changes can you make to spruce things up a bit? Perhaps add a pot of seasonal plants to your front porch, give your front door a new coat of paint, replace your mailbox, or change your outdoor light fixtures. Small changes can make a big difference.
- Make minor repairs and freshen up your home. This includes everything from replacing torn window screens, changing cabinet hardware and wiping finger prints off the fridge to repairing loose deck boards, sealing the driveway and planting spring flowers. Spending a little extra time and money now could make your home more attractive to home buyers who want a “move in” ready home.
- Stage your home. If you have any rooms that you don’t use, now is the time to reimagine them. Repurpose an unused bedroom as an office or create a playroom if you think parents with young children are the most likely to buy your home. Help prospective home buyers to envision how they might use different rooms in your home without making them too personal.
Not sure where to begin? Check out home and garden magazines like Better Homes & Gardens, HGTV Magazine, House Beautiful or Traditional Home to get ideas. An experienced Realtor® who knows the local real estate market well will also have suggestions, so be sure to ask when you meet with her. Happy Selling!