Before you schedule your first open house — and hopefully have prospective buyers lining up outside your door — there are easy updates to your home that will help get it into tip-top shape. That way, your home should generate maximum interest, sell quickly and bring you the price you would like. Check out these top tips for getting your home ready to sell — and getting you the best possible offer.
Before your home goes on the market, you want to be sure it looks spotless. From dusting hard-to-reach spots that you normally neglect (such as ceiling fans) to scrubbing glass windows and doors to organizing your pantry, now is the time to tackle all of those tasks that may be at the very bottom of your to-do list. This way, prospective buyers won't be distracted by any unkempt areas and can instead focus their attention on what really matters: whether or not they love the house.
Curb appeal makes a big and important impact. You want to turn heads when people drive past your home, so they're eager to schedule a tour or stop by your first open house. To do that, you need to give prospective buyers the best possible experience as soon as they pull up. Sod your yard or plant fresh grass before listing your home, so that it has time to grow in, especially if it's the spring or summer season. Add some fresh plants, give your front door a fresh coat of paint and pull out any weeds or dead plants — all easy and relatively affordable ways to give your outdoor spaces an important refresh.
If you have colorful taste and have painted the rooms in your home an array of colors, repaint them in a more neutral palette. Why? If a potential buyer doesn't love the colors, it could be an instant turn-off. Instead, opt for clean whites, quiet beiges or the palest grays, which will make it easier for buyers to imagine their own things in the spaces. Also, be sure to touch up any trim, baseboards and doorframes that have scuffs or chips, to help give the home a clean and put-together look from top to bottom.
This is the top tip of them all. It is vitally important that prospective buyers can imagine themselves living in your home. To make it easier for them, declutter every room and space, especially the main living areas. Take things off of windowsills, mantels and any other surfaces, to give those spaces a more open and airy look. Remove all personal items, such as photos, personal keepsakes, even kids' names on bedroom walls. That way, buyers wont feel like they're invading your personal space. Instead, they'll see a blank canvas waiting for their own personal touch.
