A total of 842,000 houses. That’s how many homes sold during the year 2020. The question is, what can you do to stand out from the crowd and be one of those homes that sell?
If you’re planning to list your house for sale, there are a few things you need to do to improve your sale price. Follow the seven steps below when preparing your home for sale.
1. Get a Home Inspection
Everything in your home might look satisfactory to you if you’re looking at the surface level. However, that isn’t always the case. Much of the time, problems are hidden where you can’t see them.
Hiring a home inspector can help you uncover those problems before you list your home for sale. An inspector will look through every part of your home for issues. This includes your roof, water pipes, electrical, and any other aspect of your home that’s ripe for problems.
Doing this before you accept an offer on your home will also help speed up the process. Homebuyers often order an inspection of their own. If they find a problem, they’ll want it fixed before they commit to buying.
2. Depersonalize
When a potential homebuyer visits your home, the goal is to make it feel like they can be the owner themselves. That’s the goal of the home tour — to give them that experience.
It’s hard for someone to imagine themselves as the homeowner if your home is decorated with personalization unique to you. These things can include family photos, unique wallpaper, alternative art, and other items that gain value from personal taste.
Before you list your home and start home tours, depersonalize your home as much as possible. Keep neutral pictures, paint, and carpet throughout the house. Your goal is to make your home appealing to the broadest number of people possible.
3. Focus on Curb Appeal
First impressions are everything when it comes to a home. Many home buyers rely on gut feelings when they start shopping. If something doesn’t seem right, they’ll head to the next home if it’s a buyer’s market.
That’s why curb appeal is so important. Your yard is the first introduction to your house. If your yard looks nice, it sets expectations and makes people more excited to visit your home.
You don’t have to go overboard in your yard, though. Keep your grass trimmed and do some landscaping in front of your home. A few strategically placed flowers and bushes near your door can work wonders for making your home look nicer.
4. Prioritize Lighting
You want your home to appear vibrant in pictures and when people are touring your home. Nobody wants to live in a dark space. Making sure every part of your home is well lit will make certain people don’t get that impression about your home.
If possible, make use of as much natural light as you can. Keep your windows open during open houses to help light each room.
For areas where natural light can’t reach, lamps do a great job. Just be sure that every corner of a room is lit when you’re in the room.
5. Declutter Everything
Less is more when selling your home. People want to know there’s enough space when they move into a new home. If you have clutter everywhere in your home, it will make your house look smaller than it actually is.
Do a sweep of all your open areas and remove anything unnecessary. There should be open counter space, tables, and floors wherever you look.
Once you clean up your open space, take a look at your closets. Potential homebuyers will want to make sure there’s enough storage in your home. If everything is thrown into your closet without organization, it won’t appear that way.
Clear out unneeded junk and add organizational dividers in every closet. A clean and tidy closet will help give the impression of more space and impress potential homebuyers.
6. Stage Your Home
Does your home have a look that people aren’t interested in anymore? If so, you might need to change things up to appeal to the modern house hunter.
Staging your home is a great way to give it more appeal. You don’t have to buy new furniture to get this done. Simply renting temporary furnishings can instantly give your home more appeal at a low price.
Doing this is also essential if your furniture isn’t in the best shape. When everything in your home looks new, it will have more appeal to people touring your home.
7. Find a Real Estate Agent
There’s a lot of work that goes into selling a home. Many people fail to take into account how much that goes into creating a successful listing. If you want to cut out much of that work, getting in touch with an experienced real estate agent can help.
An experienced agent will know all the ins and outs of the selling process in your specific area. They’ll know what the market is looking for, what your home valuation should be, and what you can do to get more money for your home.
A real estate agent can also handle a lot of the paperwork and negotiation for you. If you’re not good at striking deals, this alone can help you get more money for your home during price talks.
Do Some Work Before Listing Your House for Sale
People buying a new home don’t always want a project when they’re moving houses. They want a home that’s move-in ready and isn’t filled with problems. Do a few repairs and upgrades before you list your house for sale to improve the chances of someone making an offer.
Are you interested in how you can do a few touch-ups for your house yourself? Head back to the website to find some great DIY tips.
