When my husband and I bought our old house over nine years ago, I don't think we ever thought we would live in it as long as we did. But then the market crashed months later and we were stuck. Our first house was a great starter home, but not so great for our growing family.
I am not a real estate agent. I do have family members who are and we did consult with them before we decided to put our house on the market. But since we have finally completed the process, I thought I would give my tips to sell your house and make your home more marketable for buyers.
1. De-Clutter. First and foremost. Purging really does feel therapeutic in a way. And it makes there seem like so much more room. We have been going through every room in our house and decluttering. Things we didn't want to get rid of we have put in storage.
2. Paint. Whitewashing a room or porch can be an easy way to make your house appear nicer and cleaner. If you are going to choose a color, pick something that is neutral.
3. Fix Necessary Repairs. This probably goes without saying. But cosmetic repairs are what you want to focus on. It's funny how we let little things go so long with out fixing them. Dauphin County residents can tell you that, if you want to sell your house fast in Harrisburg, PA, you'll have to make sure all of those overdue repairs are taken care of. If you can get an inspector out that can help you notice things that need to be fixed, I suggest doing that.
4. Think Outside. We have a yard guy who comes bi-weekly to take care of cutting the grass, trimming the bushes, and removing weeds, but we also painted our front porch and have been pressure washing everything. If you live in California, your curb appeal can truly put you ahead of the game. As the leading real estate team in California notes, the Golden State has some of the most desirable homes in the country. Making sure that your lawn is neatly manicured and your outdoor space looks inviting can make a big difference for potential buyers.
5. Appealing smells. Essential Oils are great for this. Lemon, lemongrass, peppermint, but I don't recommend Lavendar since it could make you sleepy. Most oil diffusers have a timer, so set it and forget it. I also like to have fresh flowers to add a nice decorative touch.
2. Paint. Whitewashing a room or porch can be an easy way to make your house appear nicer and cleaner. If you are going to choose a color, pick something that is neutral.
3. Fix Necessary Repairs. This probably goes without saying. But cosmetic repairs are what you want to focus on. It's funny how we let little things go so long with out fixing them. Dauphin County residents can tell you that, if you want to sell your house fast in Harrisburg, PA, you'll have to make sure all of those overdue repairs are taken care of. If you can get an inspector out that can help you notice things that need to be fixed, I suggest doing that.
4. Think Outside. We have a yard guy who comes bi-weekly to take care of cutting the grass, trimming the bushes, and removing weeds, but we also painted our front porch and have been pressure washing everything. If you live in California, your curb appeal can truly put you ahead of the game. As the leading real estate team in California notes, the Golden State has some of the most desirable homes in the country. Making sure that your lawn is neatly manicured and your outdoor space looks inviting can make a big difference for potential buyers.
5. Appealing smells. Essential Oils are great for this. Lemon, lemongrass, peppermint, but I don't recommend Lavendar since it could make you sleepy. Most oil diffusers have a timer, so set it and forget it. I also like to have fresh flowers to add a nice decorative touch.
6. Organize. If you can't get rid of it for whatever reason and you can't put it in storage, then at least make sure it is set out in an appealing way. No they aren't buying your stuff, but people do like to see homes that are furnished so they can imagine themselves living in it.
8. Take Quality Pictures. You want people to see pictures of your home and instantly want to see it. Our pictures were dark and grainy. There were light spots through out most of them. You should recommend to your real estate agent to get a student photographer to take pictures of your home to post on the websites. We had friends of ours do this and their house was on the market for three days.
If you are considering selling your home in 2017, then I suggest starting now. Go through your house room by room. Write down repairs that need to be made, things that need a thorough cleaning, ect. Money was an issue that seemed to get in the way when were selling our home. Our house ended up being on the market for over a month. Way longer than anyone would have thought based on the market. We didn't take the time or effort to get our house ready before hand like we should have. It was a very stressful process, but I think it would have been regardless. We love our new home and are looking forward to making great memories here.
Are you looking to sell in 2017? What are some of your tips, if you have been through this process before?
Seriously awesome tips!! It can be so hard sometimes to make something marketable!! Hubby's parents really struggle selling there's because some fixtures were dated.
ReplyDeleteMy daughter has her real estate license. She put it this way to me. That you might as well fix or fix up the things you have to before you are made to! She said that it makes the house more appealing if there is less items to fix on the list the first time around! She also said your tips are right - on! A lot of buyers like a clean fresh look! And the smell tip is really important, because she has heard buyers talk saying things like, do you smell that OR maybe there is something else going on in the house that can't cover up the smells & that smells don't lie.
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