This list of FIVE things you should do to get your home ready to SELL are the comments that I most often hear from Home Buyers:
- Declutter ... This is a difficult thing to tackle but one that is very beneficial and won't cost any money to do! The key focus on Decluttering is to open up spaces so Home Buyers can see themselves living in your home and can picture their stuff in all the rooms. By removing all or most personal pictures and mementos will help Home Buyers visualize their belongings in your house. In addition, remove bulky and excessive furniture ... go with the mantra, "Less is More". When going through this process, you'll essentially be starting your Packing, which is a positive sign to Home Buyers that you are serious about selling. It is ok to move the extra furniture and packed boxes into the garage, just keep it all organized and to one side of the garage.
- Flooring ... Carpet has been a big turn off for many buyers in the past 5 years. If your home has Carpet in the living areas (living room, sitting room/den, dining room, study) you might want to consider installing Hardwood Floors. For the bedrooms, Carpet is still desired. For the rooms with carpet, I recommend having the carpet "pulled" to take out any lumps, replace the padding to provide nice cushion if carpet is more than 10 years old, and definitely get it Professionally Cleaned. Remember, you want your home to put it's best foot forward.
- Paint Walls ... It's a good idea and a very inexpensive one at that, to give your Interior Walls a fresh coat of paint. Neutral walls painted Beige, Light Grays, and Whites will attract Home Buyers. If you don't feel like doing the whole house, do the walls that are in high traffic areas or had lots of things hanging on them or furniture up against them. Please Please Please ... if you have any loud walls, paint them - this is a huge turn off for Home Buyers! *Be sure that if you paint, to not just do touch ups, do the whole wall so it doesn't look, well ... touched up.
- Curb Appeal ... This is very important since it's the 1st thing Home Buyers see when they get to your house. Simple things to do would be to remove all the weeds and dead plants/shurbs, add fresh mulch to your flower and tree beds, trim all bushes, plants seasonal flowers or have potted flowers and if needed, pressure wash the driveway and front walkway.
- Garage ... Through the years, the garage typically becomes a place for stuff that you're not using and to be honest, stuff you will unlikely use ever again. It's a good idea to get a good binge cleaning done in there (as well as closets throughout your house) and then neatly organize it. Remember, the goal is to get your house Market Ready and you want Home Buyers to see ALL the SPACE your house has for their stuff!
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