When it’s time to sell your home, you may feel pressured to remodel certain areas of it. Some homeowners will go so far as to replace flooring, repaint walls, change light fixtures and even update some of their furniture before showing their home to potential buyers. To some sellers, the question becomes whether any of this fuss is necessary.
On one hand, fresh paint and updates as mentioned will give a home a renewed look. These renovations could help move the home up the chart in a buyer’s list of favorites.
On the other hand, buyers who know what they want in a home and who have the vision to make changes will overlook a multitude of outdated features or flaws and focus instead on the floorplan, neighborhood, yard, and price.
Do this For Sure
Buyers do agree on a few pre-sale tips, though. As a basic starting point for preparing your house for sale, do consider these guidelines:
- Empty your home of excess items either storing them in a rental unit or discarding them.
- Clean the floors, dust shelves and furniture and check the ceiling line for cobwebs.
- Change broken lightbulbs and clean light fixtures.
- Make kitchens and bathrooms sparkle.
- If possible, have windows professionally washed.
- Present an attractive tidied entryway and organized front and backyard.
- Put personal items like family photos, toiletries, and such out of sight.
- Use a realtor familiar with your area.
- Price your house competitively.
Copy a Hotel Look
When re-arranging your home’s rooms to make them show well to buyers, think of the last time you visited a hotel. If you haven’t visited a hotel in person, it’s easy to look at hotel room photos online.
When a person walks into a hotel room upon arrival, they expect it to be clean, spacious, and well-decorated. There is no clutter in a hotel room. There are the essentials–seating, a bed, towels, artwork on the walls, nice bedding, plush pillows, good traffic flow and polished fixtures. The hotel room provides form and function. It has what a hotel-dweller needs for his or her stay.
Likewise, a home for sale merely needs to show prospective owners it has space for their needs. That usually includes space to spread out, a comfortable room for TV watching, a cozy bedroom and a clean kitchen and bathroom.
Capture the Natural Light
Some hotels will draw you in with a great view out a large window. A tenant might walk right past a hotel bed to see the view. When showing your home, don’t hide the view behind closed draperies or blinds. Open them and bring the magic of the outdoors in. Natural light and a nice view are good selling features for any home.
Go Simple with Décor
Again, think hotel room when deciding on how much furniture to leave in your home for selling. Keep décor simple. Clean lines are easier on the eyes no matter how quaint you like to decorate. Here are a few more tips for detailing your home prior to showing it for sale:
- Remember, buyers are there to see your home, not your furnishings or decor.
- If possible, put a new bedspread on each bed and top each with plump pillows in fresh cases.
- Have a clean floor mat at the entry door as most home shoppers will remove their shoes.
Ultimately, Price is King
Trust your realtor to guide you on setting a suitable price.
Consider any renovations you’ve made in your home during your stay as things you’ve done for your own enjoyment. Too many homeowners try to recoup money they’ve invested into their home since buying it. Yes, you’ve added to your home, but your home has also endured some wear and tear.
If you choose to transform your home before sale, be aware there is no promise of recovering anything you add and upgrading it will delay putting it on the market.
How you prepare your home for sale is your decision. Don’t feel pressured to do as others you know have done. Ultimately, a few simple upgrades and a good cleaning will go a long way to make your home presentable for sale. In the end, in most cases, price is king.
