When selling your home is a priority,
you need to realize that an ordinary home with ordinary features is
not going to grab potential buyers’ attention. You need to go
beyond ordinary and make your home irresistible to every homebuyer.
Regardless of whether you have owned
your home for one year or forty years, you will probably need to make
some changes to attract people who are looking to buy a home. You probably
loved your home when you bought it, so why shouldn’t you want
to make people fall in love with it too? Naturally, you should!
Here are some ideas for making your
home feel more open, airy and inviting. Years of experience have taught
us what people like and dislike when they look at homes for sale. Learn
from these experiences in order to make selling your home an exciting
and pain-free process.
Apply
a Fresh Coat of Light-Colored, Neutral Paint to Your Walls
The people who are considering buying your home want to see what it
looks like. Keeping this in mind, repaint any dark rooms with neutral
paint. You may prefer darkly colored rooms, but most buyers will be
able to imagine their furniture more easily in a neutral-colored room.
White ceilings are always preferable. If time is of the essence and
you cannot paint entire rooms, quickly adding coat of white paint to
the ceilings can make all the difference in the world.
Remove Flowered Wallpaper
Despite your personal home-decorating preferences; many homebuyers are
turned off by wallpaper. This is particularly true when the wallpaper
contains large or brightly colored flowers. If time allows, remove the
wallpaper and paint the walls. Painting over wallpaper is never a good
idea.
The biggest reason for this is that
painted-over wallpaper looks terrible. Potential buyers will realize
that the paint has been applied to wallpaper that they will need to
remove after buying the home. Paint makes the removal process more difficult,
so if you decide not to remove the wallpaper, just leave it alone.
Add New
Ceiling Fans and Light Fixtures
As mentioned earlier, buyers like bright interiors. They also like airy
homes. Therefore, installing a few ceiling fans or updating the fans
you already have could help you convey the desired bright and airy feel
to potential homebuyers.
Avoid
Clutter at All Costs
Some real-estate agents will fail to tell you that clutter is a home’s
worst deterrent for homebuyers. People find it difficult to imagine
how their own furnishings will fit into a room full of clutter. Clutter
also tends to make rooms appear smaller.
One of the ways that you can get ready
for your own move while preparing to sell is to hold a garage sale or
to make a large donation to a local charity. You will need to sort through
your belongings at some point, so why not start now? Begin with those
things that always though you might use, but have been sitting in the
attic since you put them there ten years ago.
Minimalism is best when you are trying
to sell a home. If possible, pack up some of your smaller décor
items and leave out only a few conversation pieces. If you plan to sell
during the holidays, try to achieve a festive spirit without overdoing
your decorating.
Place
a Fresh Wreath or Floral Spray on Your Front Door
Buyers want to be welcomed by homes. Placing a tasteful wreath or other
decoration on your front door welcomes people into your home, making
a huge difference in how fondly buyers remember your home. You can extend
the welcome further by placing similar décor items throughout
the home. Stay away from eucalyptus and other strong odors, because
they might be an irritant to buyers with sensitive nasal passages or
allergies.
Pay Attention to What’s
Happening in Your Kitchen
It’s always a good idea to have a clean kitchen, but when you
are selling a home you need to go beyond simple cleanliness. If you
know that a potential buyer is coming in this afternoon, bake brownies.
The scent will linger, making your home more inviting. Just be careful
not to burn your tempting delicacies!
Buyers may subconsciously or consciously
notice scents in the homes they visit. Quickly dispose of any foul-smelling
scraps or rotting produce. While your home is for sale, check daily
for possible odor sources in your kitchen. Wash your dishes and put
them away, making sure that your countertops are immaculate. Also, sweep
your kitchen floor frequently to minimize dirt and crumbs.
Modernize Your Master
Bedroom
Master bedrooms and master suites are extremely popular right now. Therefore,
if you want to wow a potential buyer, consider what is most fashionable
and popular. Visit a home-decorating supply store or look online for
ideas that might help you to add new zing to your bedroom. Even a new
quilt or comforter can make a big difference for potential buyers. The
master bedroom is the homeowner’s sanctuary. Therefore, neutral
tones are the best option. Consider a light shade of green or blue as
an accent color, since these tones create a relaxing and calming environment.
Consider the Value of
Landscaping
In the past, a freshly mown lawn and some flowerbeds at the front of
a home were enough to attract potential buyers. This still holds true
in some areas, but many of today’s homebuyers are looking for
homes with attractive landscapes that do not require much maintenance.
If you hire a landscaper, ask him or
her about what is most popular in your area. Request that he or she
use shrubs and plants that require little maintenance. A good ground
cover will reduce the need for weeding, saving you time while you are
selling your home and making the home look maintenance-free from the
curb.
Curb appeal is extremely important in
the world of real estate, particularly since internet listings with
photos are increasingly common. Your home needs to be as photogenic
as possible.
These are some simple ways to capture
potential homebuyers’ attention and make them feel welcome in
your home. A little effort on your part will greatly improve your chances
of selling quickly. Of course, a few tasteful upgrades will also increase
the value of your home.
Our Listing Partners at Amanda Howard
Real Estate will be happy to work with you to maximize your home’s
attractiveness to potential buyers. We know what buyers are looking
for and how you can give those things to them! Years of experience have
taught us what is most popular in the Hampton Cove area, and what kind
of home décor is most attractive to potential buyers. So request
our advice, and then act upon it.
