5 Home-Selling Secrets
One of the best secrets of home-selling is to spruce up the yard, walkways and porch to enhance curb appeal with potential buyers. Adding a fresh coat of paint, planting flowers and shrubs will make your home “smile.”
When preparing for resale, follow these 5 home-selling secrets to maximize interest from potential buyers.
Home-Selling Secret #1: Price it right!
First, find out what your home is worth, then shave 15 to 20 percent off the price. Spring for a professional appraisal and research how much homes have sold for in your community. Even in the worst markets, buyers with multiple bids will increase the price over what your home is worth. What takes courage? Risk does, and this is the single best strategy to home-selling in today’s market.
Home-Selling Secret #2: The show must go on!
Maintain your home as “show-ready” at all times because you never know when your buyer is going to walk through the door. Be available and flexible when a potential buyer is interested in viewing your home. Keep it clean and tidy, don’t leave dishes in the sink, keep dishwasher cleaned out, bathrooms sparkling and make sure floors are waxed, carpets are vacuumed and trash is empty. It is also a great idea to use room scents such as vanilla to mask any odors from homes that are closed all day, especially in the closets. Although the constant home preparation may be inconvenient, it will truly help the home-selling process.
Home-Selling Secret #3: The kitchen is the most important room in the house.
Did you know that you are not actually selling a home, you are selling the kitchen attached to the home? How does your kitchen rate? Is it efficient? Does it need an update or remodel? The benefits of remodeling your kitchen are endless and the best part is, you will probably get an 85 percent ROI! Costs vary greatly but many updates, such as replacing the kitchen faucet can be done in a weekend. The fastest, most inexpensive kitchen updates include painting and new cabinet hardware. Even I can handle that!
Home-Selling Secret #4: Make your house “smile”
Curb appeal cannot be understated or underestimated. No matter how good the interior of your home looks, buyers have already judged your home before they walk through the door. You never have a second chance to make a first impression. Spruce up your landscaping with inexpensive shrubs and brightly colored flowers. You can typically get a 100-percent return on the money you put into your home’s “smile.”
Home-Selling Secret #5: Half-empty closets
Are your bedroom and hall closets so stuffed with clothing that you can barely remove a hanger without huffing and puffing? Buyers want lots of storage. Consider removing half the belongings from closets and neatly organize what is left in underbed storage containers, out of sight to give the impression of more space. Creating the illusion of having more space will help in selling a home.
