Preparing and managing the presentation of your home can affect how fast your home sells, as well as how much a buyer is willing to pay. Below are four home preparation tips to get you started.
Declutter and Organize – When you remove clutter, organize, and keep your home tidy (inside and out) you will increase the amount of buyer showings, as well as encourage a faster sale. You don’t have to remove all personality from the decor, but neutralizing and modernizing a bit will do wonders for buyer appeal. Pleasant, organized rooms help buyers imagine themselves living and entertaining in the various spaces of the home.
Fresh paint pays you back. Big time. Outdated wall color drives down the perceived value of your home faster than chocolate disappears from my kitchen. Repainting is one of the easiest and cheapest upgrades you can make. It’s an improvement that’s guaranteed to attract more buyers AND help you pocket more money. Other benefits of repainting include covering years of nicks, bumps and dirt, as well as neutralizing odors in the home. It’s time to appeal to today’s buyers.
Neutralize Bad Smells – Funky odors are one of the top reasons buyers reject a home. Pets, cooking, life… happens. You may have become accustomed to how your home smells. Invite a friend (or real estate agent) over to give your home the sniff test. Removing odors may be as simple as replacing old carpet, opening windows, or having the interior of your home freshly painted. Skip the heavily perfumed candles and air fresheners. This triggers buyers to ask if undesirable odors are being disguised.
Lighting Matters – Show your home in its best light. Whether it’s for photography, or for buyer showings, your main mission should be to let in as much natural light as possible. Additionally, consider including 3 basic layers of light in each room: ambient, accent, and task lighting - to help highlight and/or focus on special architectural features. The skillful use of light will help illuminate the overall experience of the room, highlight special architectural features, and brighten task areas.
Thinking about selling your home in the next year and want to maximize your sale price? Contact me for a free custom consult before listing your home.
Melissa Walter, CRS, ABR, SFR, REALTOR®
Serving Montgomery, Bucks, Chester, Delaware, and Philadelphia Counties
