Selling your home can be a difficult and timely processs, but knowing these ten steps for a successful home sale can help make it more enjoyable and rewarding. I look forward to sharing my home sale experience with you in person, so if selling your first home or your last, know that I am looking forward to being a part of your real estate sales team.
1. Curb Appeal:Buyers look with a keen eye before entering your home to determine if it has been lovingly cared for! A neat, well-maintained home with sharp, contemporary landscaping and
an inviting entrance really attracts Buyers.
2. De-clutter: We often say, the Buyer is buying your home, not its contents! A neat, clutter-free home instills a sense of confidence and allows the Buyer to move around freely. It allows them to visualize the room space and how their furniture might be arranged. A clutter free home looks not only newer, but larger as well.
3. Repaint: Repainting is the single most effective way to make your home look newer, better maintained, and more appealing. The use of lighter colors also makes a home look larger as well. A cleverly chosen, contemporary paint scheme usually is more appealing to a Buyers, making their purchase decision even easier. Ask me in advance about which colors are in to maximize your home selling success!
4. Trim: One of the primary differences between homes constructed today verses those sold twenty, thirty, or more years ago is the trim and millwork. The standard has gone up and Buyers are drawn towards luxuries like taller baseboard moldings, chair-rail moldings, picture-frame moldings, paneled wainscoting, and crown moldings as well. More expensive homes often feature more luxurious coffer ceilings, trimmed-out entrance ways and embellishments around doors and windows. Carefully performed, additional trim work can make a huge impact and increase your homes value.
5. The WOW factor: Features alone don't necessarily sell homes; what ultimately may determine the Sale is their emotional appeal. The WOW factor is a subjective response felt by the Buyer almost immediately from the time of entry. For this reason, the appearance of the entrance doors and foyer are very important. When a Buyer enters your home, you want to WOW them by creating an impression that they just cannot live without. Accomplish this, and your well on your way to negotiating a closing date!
6. Flooring: Gleaming hardwood floors and contemporary flooring products, such as stone and ceramic, not only greatly to the WOW factor, but they also generate confidence about the homes overall condition. Outdated flooring materials (especially badly worn carpeting and outdated linoleum patterns), perform exactly the opposite and turn buyers away faster than you can imagine. Before setting out to refinish your worn hardwood floors however, consider good flooring products from your local hardware store. There are products out there that when used frequently, add a deep, luxurious finish to your flooring.
7. Kitchen: Perhaps the most important room in the home, and certainly the most expensive, is the kitchen. At a very minimum, the kitchen has got to be clean and neat. While there are many ways to accomplish this, new appliances for starters, are real turn-ons! This is particularly true today, as many Buyers know they will not be able to afford upgrades after putting a down payment on a purchase. New appliances are not only a cost effective solution to selling your home, the installation is also for the most part, quick and easy (unless you have old wiring in the home). Another upgrade that is less difficult and costly than many would imagine is replacing the counter-top, sink and facet. Granite and under-counter sinks are today considered by many a standard; not the luxuries they once were. The condition of your cabinets is important, but often outdated cabinets can look beautiful when polished and dressed up with new hinges and handles. Should the quality or design really be questionable, refacing cabinetry is a cost effective solution that often provides better than expected results.
8. Bathrooms: Bathrooms must be tidy, clean and neat. To this end, re-grouting and resealing tile, shower, and bath, not only looks great, but also may prevent a home inspection issue after sale. Outdated vanities can be a real eye sore, but can be replaced without too much difficulty. Contemporary, low cost granite-topped varieties are available from Lowes and Home Depot, especially if they are a standard size. Of course, new ceramic, porcelain or stone tile will vastly contribute to a bathrooms appeal, but this is a project. If willing to go there, consider doing the Powder Room and Master bathrooms first, as Buyers scrutinized these the most.
9. Staging: A clever Home Stager can make a home look more upscale and appealing. If you have a cluttered home and are concerned about its overall impact, then money spent on staging is often well spent.
10. Pricing: Last and certainly not least, competitive pricing must be established for your home. Make sure that proper pricing expertise is applied to your home as it can be negatively impacted if left on the market too long. Right pricing out the gate often translates into fewer headaches and more money in your pocket. Contact me, Bruce Yeager, at: 908-347-3587, for home listing and sales pricing and marketing expertise.
*Information is reliable, but not guaranteed. It is for educational purposes only and may vary State to State.
BRUCE YEAGER * Realtor(r) * Sales Associate * 908.347.3587
