- Packing away personal items is one of the simplest — and cheapest — things you can do to sell your house or condo quickly. Pack Away Personal Items and get ready for your next move.
“The reason you want to depersonalize your home is because you want buyers to view it as their potential home,” we always say.
“Pictures are extremely distracting. You cannot believe how long potential buyers will stop and stare at people they do not know in photos,” and within reason on both these suggestions we also recommend moving any religious items from plain view.
The cost: $2 to $3 for a roll of packaging tape. You already have the scissors on hand and you can often score the boxes for free from a neighborhood store.In addition to attracting the buyer, “you want the buyer’s agent to enjoy showing the home,” because even if this particular buyer isn’t interested, the agent might represent someone who would be a good match.
- Clear Clutter
“This is the hardest thing for most people to do because they are emotionally attached to everything in the house,”
We recommend removing items from countertops in the kitchen and bathrooms. We suggest putting things in boxes and neatly stacking them in the corner of the garage. Anything extra should go in a small, rented storage unit. After years of living in the same home, clutter collects in such a way that may not be evident to the homeowner. However, it does affect the way buyers see the home, even if you do not realize it. Clutter collects on shelves and countertops, and in drawers, closets, garages, attics and basements. Look for deals on plastic bins that have lids and stack neatly on top of each other. These make a great alternative to storage shelves in the future for not only this place, but your next home. Label gun the front neatly to make things easy to organize and find going forward.
Or even better, ask a friend or relative to hang on to your items for free.
“Pack up 90 percent of your home, is a worthy goal" we always say.
The cost: The price of a storage unit varies (around $45 a month for a 5-by-5-foot unit) or you can also consider one of the "pods" type moving services that will drop and retrieve a storage container in your driveway that they will later store until needed .
- Rearrange and Neutralize
Rearrange the rooms in your home to reel in prospective buyers. Make sure each room has a distinct, useful purpose.
We suggest touring builders’ models to see how the rooms are furnished.
“Builders are experts on preparing their product for prospective buyers,”
Have spare time when done? Closets should be “neat and organized.” Even cereal boxes and can goods with labels forward organized from highest height to lowest gets noticed sub consciously by the buyers if we are splitting hairs here.
“The pair of shoes or clothes that you haven’t worn in 10 years, get rid of at good will or Salvation Army etc.
If your home has been painted recently, consider yourself ahead of the game. If not, take a paintbrush to the rooms that need it most. Sellers who paint the interior of their home will see a large return on the investment, this is one of the best returns on your dollar
“Fresh, neutral paint on the walls, trim and doors is worth its weight in gold — it makes everything appear clean and new,” I always say.
The cost: Anywhere from $12 to $50 per gallon for paint, plus another $10 to $50 for other painting supplies (primer, brushes, drop cloths, etc.) You can get back some of that money as a refund on your taxes for any items you donate to charity (such as those extra shoes in the closet).
- Scrub and Deodorize
Make sure your house or condo shines from top to bottom.
Cleaning and deodorizing a home before every showing “should be first and foremost.”
The goal is to help buyers imagine themselves living in the home. Thus the less distractions objective.
“When buyers see an unkempt home or smell something when they first walk in, they become turned off immediately,” we always say. “They can rarely see past it to look at all of the great features in the home.”
We suggest having the house professionally cleaned so that everything is spotless — windows, sliding glass door tracks, garage, basement, ceiling fans, etc.
We also recommend baking cookies in the oven, bringing cinnamon sticks to a slow boil in a pot of water or using air freshener to mask smells before each showing. Ridding the home of litter boxes or at least stale box material is also a must.
The cost: Varies by the location and size of the home, but typically less than $100 to clean a 4-bedroom, 2,500-square-foot home. Cookie dough runs about $3.
- Enhance Curb Appeal
Whatever you do, do not overlook the home’s exterior when selling.
“Curb appeal is just as important as cleaning the inside of the home — it’s the buyer’s first impression of your home,” are some of the things we mention in a special video we provide every one of our listing sellers.
“You only have one chance to make a first impression. …You want your home to stand out.”
Mow the lawn, make sure the sidewalk and driveway are free of clutter and debris, and ensure the house number is easily visible.
It may also be beneficial to pressure-clean the exterior of your home, driveway and sidewalk, if needed. Fresh stain on the deck or front door
Another valuable low-cost solution? Mulch.
“Mulch is cheap and covers a multitude of sins. It makes everything look trim and neat,” Landscaper and other contractors discount information is available using the link.
The cost: Mulch costs around $3 per bag. The cost of renting a pressure washer varies, but you may be able to get one from a local hardware store for around $50 per day. It may cost double that to purchase a pressure washer. Professional cleaning with a pressure washer for a 2,500 square-foot-house may set you back about $250.
Looking to Sell your Property?
Showing tips that will help you sell your home. Tom Stachler is a licensed Broker and builder serving the areas near Ann Arbor, Michigan. Saline, Dexter, Chelsea homes and houses, condos for sale. Get more information using our Links page or contractor discounts site. We can provide you with a helpful personalized marketing plan showing how digital clout and marketing prowess prowess including staging video to watch at home and taking charge of any recommended contractors and projects aimed at getting you a higher return on your sale and investment. We also have an automated service to get a shotgun type price for your property at www.RealtyQuest.info
Maintaining a Home, especially an older one, can be expensive—in fact, experts say homeowners should be prepared to spend roughly 1 percent of their home’s value every year on maintenance.
