It’s that time of year: the sun is shining, and house-hunters are on the move to find a perfect place to call home. If you are putting your house on the market, you want to show it in the best condition possible. Here are a few tips on making sure your showings are the best on the block!
DO Deep Clean Every Room
To you, your house is a worn-in, well-loved space, but you want buyers to see it as a new home. They will notice things that you don’t, like stained upholstery, dusty corners and discolored grout. Seeing dirt and grime might make a buyer question how well the home has been maintained, so it may be worth it to hire a professional cleaning service to make your home really shine.
DON’T Use Floral Scents
Your first instinct when freshening up a room might be to use a floral air freshener or scented candle. However, floral scents indoors are typically associated with hiding other odors. Avoid giving the wrong impression by sticking to more inviting scents like clean linen or freshly baked goods.
DO Get Rid of Clutter/Neutralize
Decluttering and neutralizing your home does two important things when selling a home: it makes your space look bigger, and it allows potential buyers to see themselves in your home. As much as you love your fun knickknacks and family photos, they may take focus away from the main event: your home. Clearing the clutter and a fresh coat of neutral paint can make the room look bigger and, more importantly, look like a place a buyer would want to live.
DON’T Shove Things into Closets and Cabinets
Home buyers love storage space, so inevitably they will open up closets and cabinets. As tempting as it is to hide your extra clutter in the closet, you never want a potential buyer to open a closet door and be bombarded by junk or dirty laundry. Get a head start on packing and put as much as you can in storage, and organize what is left to show off the space.
DO Give Each Room a Purpose
If you have too much empty space or unused rooms, potential buyers may not be able to envision themselves living in your home. Do the creative thinking for them and give each room a purpose. Turn a room typically used for storage into a spare bedroom, office or craft
room. Set the dining room table, add a comfy throw to the couch, and put fresh white towels in the bathroom. Small touches like these are still neutral but will make a buyer see a home instead of just a house.
DON’T Forget About Outdoor Space
Though many home buyers will look at a house online before seeing it in person, a lack of curb appeal can still diminish their interest. New colorful plants and a coat of paint on your front door and shutters can make an old home seem new. You only get one chance to make a first impression, so be sure to put the same effort into the outside of your house as you would the inside.
DO Make Repairs – Big and Small
The last thing a home buyer wants to see is an array of projects that would take up their time and money. Neglecting to make necessary repairs, even small ones like changing lightbulbs, patching holes in the wall and fixing leaky faucets can be a big turnoff to someone who is looking for a move-in-ready home. Showing a home with working fixtures and no significant damage ensures a buyer that the home has been well maintained and is worth buying.
DON’T Spend an Arm and a Leg on Quick Updates
While repairs are necessary to put your home in tip-top shape, it is not necessary to put too much money into updating every room. Outdated kitchen? Fresh paint on the cabinets and modern hardware can make a kitchen look newly remodeled. Stained carpet or outdated tile? Opt for an inexpensive replacement like vinyl flooring. It can mimic the look of almost any type of flooring you like without breaking the bank.
Carpetland USA has hundreds of affordable products that will place your home above the rest! Come see us for your flooring needs, and don’t forget to check out our Pinterest page for more home inspiration!
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