Many people have never sold a home. Personally, I have never sold a home of my own. I have sold many other folks homes, but not mine. There is a lot of emotion that goes into it, and I tell people all the time that I am never moving since I have too much “stuff”, truly hate moving and all that goes into it. Luckily, my job doesn't require me to move and I am quite happy where I reside. That’s not the case with everyone and the time may come where you need to sell your home and relocate. If you have not realized yet, everyone has an opinion about real estate. Total strangers will gladly weigh in on the best way to sell your home, even though they have never done it themselves. As a professional, I wanted to share a few tips that you might find helpful when getting your house ready to sell and also point out a few myths you may have heard.
First impressions matter. For some buyers, the look of a home from the outside, can be a deal breaker. Luckily, most homes can be spruced up outside with just a little “sweat equity” and perhaps a few bags of mulch or some annuals. Don't go crazy. Once inside, you have decisions to make. Despite what many agents will say, it is not required that you take down all personal photos and similar. To be fair, less is more, but having some personal photos can actually help others connect to your home. Take an unbiased look at your home and see which items stand out in a negative way and ask yourself which ones do you think are worth addressing. One misconception is that you make all your money back if you make improvements. This is far from true and can really hurt your bottom line. Before you tear out that old kitchen and build a new one just to sell your home, you might want to think again. Kitchens are important but also expensive. From an appraisal point of view, it’s not likely you will recoup your investment. Investing in paint and flooring is not a bad idea, but make sure you price it out and don't over invest. If you are the type of person that is handy and can paint, it’s not a bad idea if your home needs it. Flooring can fall into the kitchen comments above, so be cautious. One of the easiest things you can do is to play with furniture placement. Opening up traffic patterns and making rooms look larger is never a bad thing. Many times we have removed furniture to the garage or other rooms and the results have been great! A fresh coat of paint on your front door is an easy update and by all means, clean your home. Offensive smells like pet odor or food, can kill a deal. Ask your agent what they think and then if needed, add air fresheners and possibly stream clean carpets. Clearing off counter tops in bathrooms and the kitchen is never bad idea. Go to the dollar store and get a few baskets to put your essentials in and then store them away when guests ae coming. Paint your front door. It’s easy to do and cots very little in paint. If you have pets, make sure they are bathed and that their bedding is fabreezed. Many people are turned off by any odor in a home. If you only knew how many buyers have deemed a listing “the stinky house”. A good rule of thumb when it comes to things inside the house, is that if you have not used it in over a year, put it away or get rid of it. Remember, you want to sell your home for the best possible amount. Failing to get the house ready will result in a lower offer. Buyers are paying top dollar these days and in return, expect everything to be perfect. If it’s not, you can bet they will reflect it in their offer or after inspections. Being a little proactive can save you thousands!