There are many actions that can be taken to increase your chances of receiving an ideal offer from a buyer. From cleaning and staging to repainting, here are 5 things you can do before putting your property on the market!
Research your local housing market
First and foremost, do your homework on the value of your home. Start by researching the local housing market. Take a look at comparable sales in your neighborhood to figure out your appropriate listing price. Pay attention to the various comps’ square footage, features and location, and think about how they compare to your home. For example, your neighbor’s home may have sold for $1 million, but if your home is considerably smaller, you’ll most likely need to list your house for less. Of course, a reputable realtor should be able to assist with finding comps and determining a listing price for your home.
Give your house a deep clean
First impressions mean a lot. So, don’t let foul smells, dirty floors or dusty surfaces make a bad one on a potential buyer. Before listing your home (and throughout the selling process), give your home a deep clean. This means cleaning toilets, wiping surfaces, mopping floors, cleaning rugs and scrubbing bathrooms. Consider calling in the professionals (think: Stanley Steamer and a housekeeper) to ensure that your place is in pristine condition.
Declutter the home
Decluttering and organizing your space will go a long way in appealing to potential buyers. When a home is clutter-free, buyers can focus on the actual home instead of the excess junk, accessories and overflowing closets.
Stage your home
Staging a home really can help it sell faster and for more money. Fortunately, staging your home’s interior can be easy and affordable. Don’t forget to also spruce up your home’s curb appeal when staging the home. After all, the outside of the home is the first thing potential buyers will see when they arrive for a showing. So, make sure that the grass is cut, the yard is landscaped, and the knick-knacks are gone (think gnomes and children’s toys). If your home looks a bit rundown, you should also consider adding a fresh coat of paint to the exterior walls. If you have items in your home that you don’t have to display during open house, consider renting a storage unit. For example, You can rent a storage unit to store belongings such as old CDs, photos, or kitchenware. To see which storage unit size best serves your needs, feel free to contact us and we’ll be more than happy to help. Our self storage facilities include storage units Victoria, storage units Parksville, storage units Nanaimo, storage units Burnaby, storage units White Rock and Surrey and storage units Chilliwack.
Paint the walls
Now’s the time to repaint your home. Start by painting over those bright orange and green walls with neutral colors. Stick to whites, light grays, light beiges and “greige” wall colors. These shades will make your home appear bigger, brighter and more welcoming. Adding a fresh coat of paint to your home will also help cover the wall’s imperfections and convey a blank slate to potential buyers.