Are you getting ready to sell your home?
Curb appeal is what getts buyers out of the car, and it’s relatively easy and inexpensive to improve. Let’s start with what you can do out front to improve your chances of selling for top dollar.
Curb Appeal Tips
- Take a photo of your house and show it to other people for suggestions. When you are driving around and see a great-looking front yard, you can whip it out your photo and visualize how your home would look.
- Add medium-to-large pots with colorful plants near the front door.
- Paint the front door and install new handle.
- New light fixtures, especially outside the front door.
- Fertilize your lawn 2-3 weeks prior to listing.
- Repair or replace any brown spots in your lawn.
- Trim the trees.
- Power-wash the driveway and sidewalks.
- Don’t over-water the lawns.
Once buyers are out of the car and up the steps, the excitement, and expectations, begin rising. Buyers have usually seen so many average-looking houses that they’re hoping it will be different this time! Capitalize on other sellers’ failure to prepare their home properly!
To sell for top dollar, the interior needs to impress a buyer, but you don’t have to spend crazy money. Here is my list accumulatated over the years – do as many as you can!
- Rent a storage locker and remove everything not in use.
- Paint the main rooms with neutral color (light gray or crisp khaki).
- Install new high-grade neutral carpet – it smells ‘clean’.
- Paint wood surfaces with glossy paint (baseboards and doors).
- Clean all glass – windows inside and out, plus shower doors.
- Remove pets (get sitter for a couple of weeks) and all pet odors.
- Clutter patrol – remove distracting smaller items in particular.
- Replace burned-out light bulbs.
- If you have an older kiychen, at least install a new sink faucet.
- Add new towels and pillows, flowers, plus fruit in the kitchen.
- Tune up your mailbox.
- Improve storage capacity in garage.
- Make closets look large and inviting – mostly by removing stuff.
- Create computer stations.
- Plant trees to block neighboring homes.
- De-personalize. Buyers can get nosy about sellers.
- Secure the office – don’t leave out any bills or real estate contracts.
- The master bath will make or break a deal – go all out.
- Hire the professional cleaners the week of hitting the open market.
- Hire a great realtor!
Most good realtors are willing to stop by and give free advice on what they think you need specifically. Get good help!
