Easy Tips To Sell Your Home Fast
Thinking about listing your home during the spring selling season? If so, now’s the perfect time to get your home in tip-top shape so that buyers just can’t say no! People like to say that the home you live in is different than the home you are selling. However, staging your home does not have to be complicated. Use these easy, low-cost, high-impact tips to get you started!
- Curb Appeal: First impressions make a difference, and even if your front yard isn’t quite ready for a spread in Better Homes and Gardens Magazine, a little maintenance can go a long way. First, make sure your lawn is tidy. If you are short on time, consider hiring a high school-aged neighbor to help you sweep off your porch and sidewalks, pick up any rogue sticks or leaves, and spread a fresh layer of pine straw or mulch.
- Make Your Front Door Feel Welcoming: Add a wreath, replace your old welcome mat, and add two symmetrical planters on either side of your door to make your entryway pop. If your front door is looking a little shabby, consider repainting it and replacing the handle so that this hands-on, first impression is flawless.
- Add Some Life (Plants!): Smell is a powerful sense, and there’s nothing like walking into a house that smells like heaven to make a buyer feel at home. Consider adding a bouquet of greenery to your entryway, and incorporate some sweet-smelling, long-lasting herbs like lavender and eucalyptus. Then scatter a few other plants around your kitchen and living room to add some life. Don’t have a green thumb? Think rubber plants, succulents, and pothos which are almost impossible to kill.
- Simplify Your Decorations: A common mistake made by sellers is that they actually go above and beyond with decorations and accidently make the home look cluttered. However, more often than not, it’s the simplicity of clean lines that actually make a model home look magazine worthy. The plus side here is that you can give yourself permission to jump start your packing! Pack up any extra decorations (especially the ones that are very personal like framed photos and memorabilia), and only leave out a few accent pieces in each room. Avoid placing decorations on windowsills so that views are unhindered, and use pieces that emphasize special home features or hide blemishes from sight.
- Set Your Table: This one speaks for itself, because there’s nothing like a beautiful table spread to make a home look welcoming!
- Up Your Paint Game: Homes with kids or pets commonly look a little “loved,” even for the most tidy types of families. Although many of us have dreams of repainting our entire home, in this situation, a little touch up paint can usually do the trick. Focus on the areas that are eye-level and below, and don’t forget your molding and corners!
- Declutter: Don’t get overwhelmed – this can be fun! Make a day out of decluttering by turning on some music and getting the family involved. Throw away old paperwork, handouts, and kid artwork (or place the special ones in a decorative bin that you can place on a shelf). Make closets and rooms look larger by donating old clothes and toys, and don’t make the common mistake of filling up a closet (which buyers will want to look in) with your extra junk!
- Get Ready: Although it’s easier said than done, make your life easier by getting your family ready for the moment your home is on the market by instilling a few new rules. Make sure that beds are made each morning, and get your family used to putting papers, keys, and other revolving items like phone chargers in designated bins.
- Make A Plan of Action: For most families, there are a few areas of the home that simply can’t be ready for showings without fail, every moment of the day. So, make your game day action plan so that you can feel good about taking care of these last-minute items in a moment’s notice whenever you get a showing request. Although this list will be different for every family, commonly, it will include putting any dishes in the dishwasher, scanning rooms for misplaced toys, and tidying up pet areas.
- Don’t Forget Your Furry Friend: Make a plan for your pets! Your realtor will be a great resource to help you figure out the best place for your unique pet during showings. Although you might need to enlist help from a neighbor who can walk your pup at a moment’s notice, or you might need to keep your bunny’s cage extra clean and odor-free, there is a solution for every furry member of your family.
Still feeling overwhelmed? Our experienced listing team would be honored to help you decide which home-staging recommendations are most needed in your home. It’s always our goal to make home-selling a quick and painless process for our clients. Contact us to learn more about listing your home, today!
