Photo credit: K Hovnanian Homes
When you try to market a home in a saturated housing market, getting a home ready for sale is critical to selling success. Hard to believe but your home may not be the only home for sale! So what do you do to stand out from the crowd? While I understand your home is undoubtedly the most lovely home in the entire township, other prospective house hunters may think otherwise. Here’s an idea! Go and check out the homes already on the market. Yes, that’s right, go get an idea of your competition by previewing the homes online. It’s easy, head over to the ever popular websites: Realtor.com, Zillow, Trulia and if the property is listed on the MLS (multiple listing service), chances are there will be multiple photos posted. Then you have to be straight honest with yourself, how does your home compare? Do you understand the green shag carpet (not the cool way) is no longer on trend?
The obvious tips like de-cluttering your home/apartment work yet here are additional free and low cost suggestions:
1. LANDSCAPING MATTERS
Getting a home ready for sale means concerning yourself with the inside and OUTSIDE of the home. Often times, home owners neglect the yard when in fact home buyers these days really appreciate a landscaped yard. No need to hire a professional landscaper, however trimming your lawn, adding some potted plants and perhaps investing in a patio set can do the trick. If you’re trying to sell in the summer months, planting flowers or using flower boxes will impress any home buyer with a green thumb. I know plants are expensive, but seeds aren’t! Herbs and floral seeds in clay pots set up by the front entrance evoke a welcoming tone. Another affordable tip is laying out a welcome mat by the front steps. Imagine that!
Garden Herb Mix Great for Decor
2. DE-CLUTTER THE WHOLE HOME
If you’ve lived in the home for more than 3 + years, you possibly adopted pack rat habits. You’ve managed to justify keeping everything in the house claiming the items hold sentimental value. Here’s your excuse to donate items and/or getting a dumpster. The old adage, “Less is more” works when you’re getting your home ready for sale. Now is not the time to show case your Star Wars collection. Less is more. Were you trying to rid of your 40 year old worn out sofa, here’s your chance to curbside it!
3. CLEAN AND NEUTRALIZE THE ODORS
When a house hunter is walking through a home, ideally neutral odors go over well. Neutralize by lighting your favorite citrus candle, or use Airwick plug ins and spray the room and your fabric sofas with Febreze. Living with pet Lassie may have you immune to the dog odors, but get a second or third NON pet owner opinion. If they smell Lassie, then prospective home buyers will detect it too. Believe me, that’s usually a no go.
4. PAINT AND TOUCH-UP
Think about it. A fresh coat of latex paint brightens and personalizes a space quite inexpensively. Spackle and touch up the window sills, trim, and crown moulding with you favorite paint brand. I favor Benjamin Moore for the clean smells and deep saturating colors but Glidden, Behr, Ralph Lauren and Martha Stewart has some stellar paint choices as well. Let’s say you’re a HUGE fan of primary red, turquoise and black walls–hurray for you but not necessarily for everyone else. Unless you’ve got a super cool modern contemporary condo flat or home try to stick to neutral colors. Think cool beige, light slate, off whites, and pure white (IF you have some wall art as contrast) and/or terrific home accessories.
5. STAGE YOUR HOME BUT NOT LIKE A MUSEUM
Isn’t it true whenever you’re watching your favorite design show or perusing through Elle Decor or other design magazines, the homes feel museum like almost unoccupied and dare I say perfect? When you’re selling a home, you almost want that feeling but it all depends on the home and who’s buying. Sounds complicated but it’s true. If it’s too perfect, I’ve heard home buyers remark no one lives here and oddly they couldn’t imagine living there either. Why is that? Not entirely sure, but perhaps those buyers can’t relate in a super immaculate home? Previewing a kitchen and seeing kitchen appliances tucked in a corner along with a basket of oranges and a spice condiments rack allows them to visualize cooking in the kitchen. A stark sterile kitchen feels like a newly renovated property with no warmth or personality. Ever notice new home builders and how they stage their homes? Warm, inviting, and stylish design almost beckoning the buyers to settle into the cushiony couch!
6. FURNITURE RE-ARRANGEMENT
After you’ve edited your home (meaning rid of the clutter furniture), the fun begins! How do you get an airy open floor plan feeling? Depending on how your living room is set up, try floating the furniture. For example, one couch against the wall is fine but maybe not both. Try “floating” your complimentary love seat or single chairs around the coffee table. If you’re in a smaller flat, downsizing to one couch and round or pared down coffee table dotted with plants really visually expands a space.
7. CHANGE LIGHTING
Don’t you feel super happy out in the beaming sunshine? Why not recreate that feeling through-out your home by making use of GE daylight energy efficient light bulbs. For starters, the lighting is gentler on the eyes and everyone looks great in daylight vs. the neon lights! However, let’s say you have a rustic home design with a crackling fireplace or a wine cellar room, then using warm soft white lightbulbs vs. the “cool” daylight tones might set the mood better in that room.
8. USE ART, PLANTS & FRUIT
No need to buy a Picasso or bring in the Palm Trees! Simple wall art whether purchased or printed from your color printer and framed in dollar store frames is easy enough. Word art still is a popular trend especially if they’re motivational and happy quotes. Make use of plants and eco-green the home by adding them to corners, on top of consoles, and by the sliding doors both indoor and outdoors. Apples and oranges multi function as a snack and decorative feature of the dining area. Imagine a filled tray of bright ripened fruit that’s welcoming and good enough to eat!
There are so many other easy ways in getting a home ready for sale, including baking cookies on an Open House Sunday. What’s your idea? Need help? Comment below or contact me and I’ll be happy to help!
