When listing your house for sale, you want to ensure you’re getting the most financial gains. The return on your investment depends not only on current market conditions but also on the condition of your house when you list it and the price tag you put on it. Here are some ways you can increase your home’s value when listing.
Fix it Up
The first order of business in prepping your house to garner a good sales price is ensuring it’s in excellent condition. Ensure there are no leaks in the roof, no plumbing issues, and no faulty wiring – and tend to any necessities, such as a garage door opener that doesn’t work or doors that creek when they open. Not only is it the right thing to do so that you’re not selling someone a faulty product, but the buyer’s lender will require a home inspection. If a home inspector finds any issues, including pests like termites, you may find that the buyer tries to negotiate a lower price so they can fix the issues, may demand that you fix them before the close of the sale, or may walk away from the deal altogether.
Minor Upgrades
You can do several inexpensive things to make your house look shiny, new, and well cared for. Here are just a few:
- Power wash the exterior
- Paint (inside and out)
- Replace window and door screens
- Replace doorknobs and locks
- Update lighting fixtures
- Add new light switch and electrical socket covers
- Upgrade existing faucets
- Get new cabinet and drawer pulls
- Recaulk windows, sinks, toilets, showers, and tubs
- Make sure there’s a clean air filter
Dress Your House for Success
Staging is a combination of art and science that helps potential buyers see your home in its best light. You can help others see all the potential for their lives within that space through decluttering, depersonalizing, deep-cleaning, and accessorizing.
Decluttering is the first and possibly hardest step because it can feel overwhelming. You’ll need to comb through all the nooks, crannies, closets, and cubbies in your house to put your hands on every item. Decide if it’s an item you won’t need again, can pack away to use again after your move, or organize it smartly if you need to use it until moving day. Tidy up any stacks of papers and file them for safekeeping, so they’re not out in the open in disarray. Decluttering also includes removing furniture you don’t need before you move, such as bookcases, cabinets, over-stuffed chairs, or unused desks. These things can all take up extra space and make a room feel smaller and darker than it is. The goal is to create a light, airy, and open space.
Depersonalizing is the next step, and it can also be challenging because it’s when you remove your personality from the home. Aside from preparing for your upcoming move, the reason for this is to create a neutral environment where potential buyers can envision themselves living in the space with their belongings. You’ll be storing away family photos, children’s artwork, collectibles, books and magazines, and anything that emanates who you are, your interests, and your style.
Deep cleaning comes next, and you can do this yourself or outsource the job to a professional cleaning company. Scrub everywhere, from the floorboards to the ceiling fans, the air vents, and everything in between. Bleach toilets, bathtubs, and showers. Wash the walls around sinks and trash cans – when it comes to residential real estate, clean sells.
Accessorizing your house for sale doesn’t have to be complicated. Consider a bowl of fruit in the kitchen, fresh flowers on the table, live plants in the living room, candles in the bathrooms – just small touches that add pops of color and livelihood into the environment. And open the window coverings to allow as much natural light as possible.
Don’t forget curb appeal. Make sure you mow the lawn, trim the hedges, organize yard furniture, put away toys, pick up debris, pull weeds, and that the outdoor living space is as inviting as the indoors.
Professional Photographs
A picture can tell a thousand words, so make sure the pictures you post of your home do it justice. Since most start their house hunt online, investing in quality photographs from an experienced real estate photographer makes good sense. The right photographer will know how to capture the essence of your home’s best qualities and showcase its most attractive features.
The Right Price
Slapping a hefty price tag on your house for sale does not reflect its value to buyers or dictate whether or not you’ll bring in a good price. A price that’s priced too high may scare off some buyers – and if you have to reduce the price, especially multiple times, you may cause other buyers to second-guess the property, wondering what’s wrong with it that the price keeps dropping.
Likewise, with a price that’s too low, you may attract many buyers, but some will question why the price is so low, and you’re sure to lose money on the deal.
Talk with your real estate agent about finding the sweet spot where pricing your house is concerned. You want it to be competitive.
Your Real Estate Agent
When it comes to increasing the value of your house for sale, your real estate agent is your most valuable resource. Your experienced agent knows what repairs about needed repairs, how to upgrade the home without breaking the bank, giving staging advice, and helping you price your house to attract the right buyers.
Conclusion
Many factors come into play when you’re trying to get the most bang for your buck when listing your house for sale. Make sure it gets all the TLC it needs in maintenance and repairs. Invest in minor updates and upgrades. Declutter, depersonalize, clean, and accessorize each space throughout the house. Price your home competitively and talk with your real estate agent for more ways to maximize the money on the sale of your home.
