- Do the needed repairs. You know what needs to be fixed around your house and it is easier to get those repairs taken care of prior to listing the home vs. waiting to get them back in the inspection report.
- Paint. A fresh coat of paint will make your home have a fresh feel for a perspective buyer. It might not even be the color they would like, but it will give them a good feeling from the smell to the look!
- Update kitchen cabinets and countertops. You don’t have to purchase all new cabinets, but painting the cabinets white and updating them from the 90’s honey oak color will totally change the look of your kitchen. You can also change the hardware or paint it with an oil rubbed bronze. Countertops can be updated without spending thousands of dollars in granite. Go the extra mile and put in a new backsplash. It is not a tough project and will give your home a great look!
- Landscape. Take time to make your home have great curb appeal. Buy some new flower/plants and make it look like a warm and inviting home from the street view. The number one factor in home purchasing is still curb appeal.
- Clean the exterior and roof. This is not a very expensive task and it will give your home a fresh, clean look that will give a potential buyer the feeling that if you take such good care of the exterior, you will take even better care of the interior.
- Update bathroom fixtures. Change the toilets and faucets for a new and updated look.
- Remove personal items. Try to take out as many personal items as possible to give the potential buyer a sense that this is their new home and not your old home.
- Clear the clutter. Rent a storage unit or donate items you are just saving for no good reason. I’m sure that dress you had from prom isn’t needed these days or the suit you bought in 2002 that doesn’t fit anymore can go as well. Take 1/2 of the clothes out of your closet to make them look bigger.
- Find the right agent. Choose an agent that is ready to work hard for to market your home. Sometimes the misconception of “bigger is better” isn’t always the best option. If you choose an agent that has a team and claim to list 30 homes a month, be prepared to not talk to that agent when you call at 10pm or at dinner. Your home might just become a number in their monthly log and you might get lost in the shuffle. An agent that has a smaller book of business is the agent that will be there for you from start to finish and always be there when you call.
- Know your competition. Make it a point to walk through the homes for sale in your neighborhood. A good agent will invite you to see the homes for sale around you so you know why your home is priced the way it is.
- Update master bath. Make your master bath feel like an inviting spa experience to the potential buyer. New fixtures, towels and lighting are some things you can do to give it a great new look.
- Improve lighting. Get new fixtures that brighten the room and give it a more modern look. More light will always make a space more inviting and updated fixtures will give it a fresh look.
- Don’t forget the backyard. Make your backyard a great place to entertain! Keep it clean and well kept so that the potential buyer can picture themselves enjoying a bbq with their friends.
- Update the hardware on doors. This is a very inexpensive way to give your home a nice brushed nickel or oil rubbed bronze finish without breaking the bank. The 90’s brass look was good back then, but has long since lost its luster.
- Make it smell amazing. Get scents that make it smell like a warm and inviting experience. be careful that you don’t make it smell like you just walked by a Hollister at the mall though. Too much is not good when it comes to the way your home should smell. A good scent will definitely set the tone for the showing and cover up any unwanted odors.
Jeremy Burns Real Estate 