Selling a house is usually something that homeowners want to accomplish as quickly as possible. It may be because you have to move quickly for a job or to care for an ailing relative, but for most people, it’s a simple matter of wanting to get it all over with as soon as possible. No matter how tempting it may be to cut corners, don’t stint when it comes to staging your home for sale. Alexandra Schrank wants you to have all the info you need to carefully prepare your home for sale. While we’re always available to walk you through the entire selling process, here are essential tips to help you get the home-staging ball rolling.
Deep cleaning
Any home that goes on the market needs to be in pristine condition. Begin with a thorough deep cleaning of your entire home, including any carpeting, furniture and especially the bathrooms. Consider hiring a professional cleaner to do the job right. This isn’t something you can afford to take lightly. Discriminating home buyers will quickly spot an inadequately cleaned house or notice lingering odors, like stale dog smell or cigarette smoke. It’ll be money well spent and make it much easier to stage your entire house.
Depersonalize and declutter
Try to think of your property from the perspective of a potential buyer. Anyone looking to make such a large investment won’t be impressed by a home that’s cluttered and difficult to move around in. Decluttering is essential because you want to show people a space with plenty of flow and easy mobility. And it’s important to help buyers envision your home as theirs, which means removing personal items, photos, distracting wallpaper, etc., and keeping each room as sparse as possible.
Upgrades
Sandy Spring Builders suggests spending your money on kitchen and bathroom upgrades for the best return on investment. Replacing worn countertops with a finish that’s found in other homes in the area (e.g., granite) can dress up a kitchen that hasn’t changed much in years. If you’re looking for a simple way to upgrade a bathroom or kitchen affordably, consider replacing old hardware with shiny new fixtures that’ll dress up any kitchen and bathroom.
Buyers are often looking for hardwood floors, and as a result, sellers should consider installing hardwood, especially in the main areas of the home. If your home already has hardwood flooring, ensure it looks its best by having floors refinished if a normal cleaning doesn’t suffice.
Curb appeal
The objective of curb appeal is to grab the attention of passersby, people looking for “For Sale” signs as they drive around. That being the case, you want your home to really stand out from the street and sidewalk, which means making the exterior of your home and yard look as attractive as possible. If the front door is looking worn out, consider giving it a fresh new coat of paint to really make your house pop. Remember that an indifferently-kept front yard won’t attract many potential buyers, so keep the bushes, shrubs and trees trimmed and the yard well-mowed, and put down a fresh layer of mulch around trees and along the side of your house. If you don’t have the time to do yard work, consider hiring a landscaping company to make everything look presentable.
Don’t forget to take a look at the fence while focusing on the exterior of your home. A tattered fence is not only an eyesore, but it gives a bad impression to potential buyers. Depending on the material of the fence, it may be as simple as a restaining. In this case, talk to a professional.
Real Estate App
One of the main purposes of staging your home is to ensure it looks appealing in real estate photos. You’ll need to update your listing with these new photos on whichever real estate platform you choose. If they have an app, make sure you download it so you can manage your listing wherever you are. In fact, it’s in your best interest to put real estate apps to work for you. These newer and more dynamic apps run the smoothest on newer phone models, so if yours is glitchy or older, consider buying a new device so you can successfully employ tech to help sell your property. Opt for a smartphone that has a camera that lets you take professional-quality photos of your home. You should also ensure that your new device supports high-speed internet so that you don’t run into any downloading hiccups.
Staging is a crucial part of the selling process. It’s how you’ll “package” your property for sale and draw a buyer’s attention to its best features. A well-prepared home can make the difference between closing the deal and sending an interested buyer down the street looking for a cleaner, more appealing property. Need advice or assistance? Connect with Alexandra Schrank for all your home selling needs!
Guest Article: Katie Conroy of Advice Mine
