Tips for Making Your
Home Sell Faster & Easier
Buying a new house is always exciting
because it’s often a step up from a
previous home. Often, though, the
biggest drawback to buying a new
home is selling your old home. From
getting it show-ready – and keeping
it that way -- to making necessary changes or repairs, selling a home is hard work. But some things will instantly make your home more marketable. And, most of the time, efforts you make to attract a buyer are simple and inexpensive, and may actually help your home sell faster and easier.
Make your home easy to see
When buyers look at your home, it’s easy for them to be distracted. The distractions can range from dirt to clutter to landscaping problems to overwhelming personal collections to needed repairs. Remember that your goal is to move into your new home, so don’t take it personally if you need to make changes to your current home. You should also remember that someone is looking to buy a house not “your home.” It’s an important distinction. In fact, you want buyers to focus on your house, not your stuff. Which leads us to the first tip: Get rid of your stuff.
Storage units create sales
The absolute best thing you can do when you want to sell your house? Rent a storage unit. That’s why the very first thing you should do is to rent a storage unit. Then pack up as much clutter and as many unnecessary items as possible, such as seasonal clothes you won’t need for a long time, clutter from closets, cabinets, pictures, even excess furniture.
If potential buyers can see space in cabinets and closets, and walk around the house without bumping into things, your house will seem bigger – and like someone could actually move into it. And, no, don’t just stuff everything in the garage; it needs to look roomy, too. Try to make sure you can see at least 30 percent (or more) of every closet rod. This helps to create closets that don’t look stuffed -- and like you’re not moving to a bigger house because there isn’t enough space in this house for normal living -- even if you are.
Thorough cleaning makes a house smell good and look attractive
Scrupulous cleaning inside and out will make your home sparkly and fresh – and smell good, too. Be sure to steam clean carpets, and pressure wash the exterior of the house, including porches and sidewalks. Scrub all tile and make sure walls don’t have fingerprints and smears. Touch up paint or repaint as necessary. Make bathrooms shine and eliminate all personal products from the counters. Clean the kitchen thoroughly and remove everything from the counters.
De-personalize your house
Strive to make your home look like a model in a magazine: attractive and inviting, but not overly personal (no collage of kiddy pictures, calendars, and pizza coupons on the refrigerator, for example). Too many family photos is another turn off. Pack these up, otherwise buyers will feel like they’re in one of those old horror films where the eyes of paintings are following them everywhere they go.
Tame the jungle outside
Many houses suffer from overgrown plantings. To the homeowner, these are mature shrubs. But to a prospective buyer, they’re overgrown. Replace overgrown plants, or plants too close to the house, with smaller versions (making sure to leave room for future growth). Clean up clutter outside, and toss any dead or dying plants. Be sure to add some pretty flowers out front for curb appeal. Landscaping is one of the best investments you can make for making your house more appealing.
The No. 1 buyer turn-off? It’s a stinker.
There is one thing that makes buyers turn on their heels as soon as the door is opened: bad odors. Not sure if your house smells bad? Have a trusted friend give you an honest opinion about the smell of your home. Many houses smell musty or stale, and can often be relieved just by airing the house out. But, if you smoke, have pets, or problems such as water leaks, your house might smell bad.
Let’s review
Cleaning, packing up clutter, and taming the yard. Who knows? Once you do this, you may not want to move after all. In fact, even if you’re not moving, this is a good idea to do every three or so years just to keep your house in fit condition. Because, let’s face it, many people sell a house because they’ve outgrown it. Simply paring back, cleaning out, and cleaning up improves the livability – and the marketability -- of any home.
Resources
Go to http://homebuying.about.com/ for more ideas on selling your home. Another resource is from the program “Designed to Sell” on HGTV. Go to www.hgtv.com. You’ll find lots of terrific tips and ideas from creating curb appeal to renovations that raise your home’s value.
© 2007 Kathryn Weber, all rights reserved
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Kathryn Weber is the publisher of the Everydayclean.com Cleaning Calender, that calender that puts you in control of your home by ending the power struggle. For more information log on to http://tinyurl.com/d9rh5.
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©2001-2007 Kathryn Weber
All rights reserved.
