These days, it seems easier to put your house on the market because of the internet. If you have the means, you can even hire a real estate agent to sell your house faster. But the good exposure of your house will do nothing if buyers aren’t interested in it.
There could be several reasons buyers choose other properties over yours. Think about how you present your house to them. Does your house look clean? Are the photos appealing enough?
Home staging is one way to make your house more attractive to potential buyers. If you don’t know what home staging is, it’s the action of arranging the furniture and decor in order to make a house more presentable to buyers. It aims to make the buyers imagine what living in that house would be like.
If you’re staging your house, you’d have to remove your personal belongings such as family photos, as well as other household items that look unsightly. If you’re posting pictures on the Internet or your social media profile, it would also be helpful to get high-end photo editing or retouching services so that buyers will already be enticed even before seeing the house in person.
That said, how else can we prepare our house before selling it?
1. Clean and Declutter
When cleaning your house, don’t be too focused on its interiors that you forget that the exterior areas matter, too. Start with your curb, and check if it matches with your neighbors’. Buyers look for curb appeal, which doesn’t only mean blending in with neighbors, but its tidiness as well. Scrub the surfaces, clean the sidewalks and driveway, fix cracks, or remodel the pavements.
If your driveway is suffering from numerous cracks and damages, consider changing its paver. Sweep away all dried leaves and other debris, mow the lawn, trim the hedges, and if you can, add some new plants to make the exterior more lively.
When decluttering the interiors, buy a storage box where you can keep everything you no longer need. Include your personal belongings in the clutter boxes, because buyers would like to see a de-personalized home, so they can see themselves living in it.
2. Upgrade the Interiors
Neutral colors are preferred by most buyers, so if your home’s color scheme is the exact opposite, then it’s time for repainting. Research on colors that match well and splurge on the best paint products.
Your kitchen may need some work, too. Buyers look for kitchens that are in style, so if yours is outdated and worn out, invest in remodeling. Replace your cabinet and drawer handles, upgrade the appliances, change the finishes, and re-paint the walls.
The bathroom should be paid a lot of attention as well. Upgrade the fixtures, scrub the tiles clean, and add more functional items if needed.
Hallways, bedrooms, and living areas also need to be freshened up. Take away all bulky furniture to extend the free spaces. Hang some artworks along the walls of the hallways, make the beds, and place comfortable rugs and soft couches in the living areas.
Buyers also look at the lighting fixtures. Make sure there are no broken light bulbs, and when looking for replacements, opt for bulbs with a higher wattage, but don’t forget about energy-efficiency. There are energy-efficient lighting available so that homeowners can save on utility costs. Clean the windows as well, as dirty windows can affect the natural light passing through.
3. Check for Anything That Needs Repair
Inspect the house for any minor damage pr problem such as cracked tiles, loose doorknobs, broken glass, holes, etc. If you notice any of these, fix or replace them immediately.
After performing all of these, your house will look pristine again and ready for its new owners. It may involve a lot of spending, but it increases the value of your house in return. Many buyers will also be interested if you present them a house that looks like new.
