Thinking of selling your home and moving south for more than just the winter? Maybe you would like to just sell everything and take off on an adventurous journey in an RV like some brave folks have done! Or maybe you just want to do a quick home makeover to please yourself. Now thats a thought! Whatever your reasons, here are a few quick tips to get your house "dressed and ready to sell - or enjoy".
Spruce up the curb appeal – Many homeowners neglect the exterior of their home because they just really don’t have a lot of time to work on landscaping. However, I cannot stress enough the importance of doing this – if you ever hope to sell your house and get the most money possible, especially in a market that has more homes available than buyers! A run-down appearance at the curbside will be a huge turn-off to most buyers and cause them to drive on by, without giving your house a second glance.
You don’t want that!
Fresh exterior paint (neutral color), pots of colorful flowers on the front porch or steps, fresh mulch around trees and shrubs, and a well-trimmed green lawn are signs to a prospective buyer that the property is well-cared-for. Buyers will want to see the rest of the home!
If you don’t have time, you may want to hire someone to do it for you. It is money well-spent. First impressions are very important!
De-Clutter – Well, you say, “my house just has that ‘lived-in’ look “– but in most cases that means clutter, stacks of papers, piles of dirty clothes, toys and books strewn about.
If you are a prospective home-seller, you really need to tame down the “lived-in” look
(ie: clean and straighten everything up). If you just don’t have time to go through a stack of papers before a buyer is coming by – pack ‘em in a shoe box and put under a bed or in the closet (temporarily of course)!
Take all those cute little magnets off the refrigerator. Clear the kitchen counters.
If you have excess toys or odd pieces of furniture that really just take up space – you can store them (neatly) in the garage. However, if the garage is so full that it cannot be quickly organized to show plenty of space for your car
– it may be better to rent a storage unit while you have your home for sale!
Again – money well-spent.
Clean, clean clean – Make sure the kitchen counters, fridge, microwave, dishwasher and stove are clean (and don’t forget the oven and range hood). Take special care to see that the bathroom is sparkly clean – floors, tub, sink, toilet, etc. If tile grout looks dirty, re-grout it – or try painting it with a tiny paintbrush! Clean the windows and mirrors (plain old rubbing alcohol works great for this if you don’t have window cleaner).
Carpets – Clean them, have them cleaned professionally, or if your carpet is old or has a badly worn “path”,
it is probably best to spend the money and replace it with a new neutral carpet. This is a fairly inexpensive improvement which will really help the place look so much better!
Paint – Put a fresh coat of paint on the walls, moldings, doors – anything that needs it! Choose neutral, but warm and inviting colors – not too bright or crazy (but not plain white either – except the trim).
Update Kitchen Cabinets – New cabinets are beautiful, but most people don’t have the budget for them, so I recommend refinishing/re-surfacing the old ones – and the quickest, most economical way is to simply paint them! They can look really great with a couple of coats of fresh paint. Also adding updated new hardware is inexpensive and can make a big difference!
Cabinets should be neat and uncluttered inside - make sure that a big pan is not going to tumble out – onto the unsuspecting buyer who curiously opens that cabinet door!
Green it up
(with leafy house plants)
– If you don’t have any plants, I would get some – maybe a tall fig tree, a palm and a few smaller plants. It just adds a nice atmosphere to the home.
Play down personal photos – Most experts say it is best to remove most, if not all, family personal photos. The reasoning behind this is that the prospective buyer needs to be able to have a “blank slate” in order to visualize his/her own special touches, artwork, etc.
Too many personal photos can distract from the home’s selling features. I feel that it is a good idea to at least limit the family photos – and display a just few – in matching frames – in a grouping, on the wall or on a table.
Be sensitive to smells –
To enhance the home’s “freshness” impression, try to air it out for a day. If pets are around – you need to make sure their areas are clean (change cat litter daily). At a minimum, use a pleasant air freshener. Fresh flowers are nice. Scented candles (vanilla especially) give off a very pleasant aroma. You can also have something baking (or just baked) – freshly baked bread, brownies, pie, etc. Ummmm - oh yeah – now that says “home”, don’t ya think?
About the author
Debi Rogers is a licensed real estate broker in both Florida and Kentucky. For more than 15 years, she has connected many home buyers and sellers and helped them achieve their real estate goals.
Currently, Debi is a broker-associate with Charlie Earhart Realty in Dunedin, Florida. If you would like to have help selling your home, or finding your Florida dream home, please give her a call at 727-733-7171 or you may email her at debi@livezlife.com.
