Selling January 13, 2023

9 Projects to Do Before Selling Your Home

 

Selling your home can be stressful. However, doing these nine projects before putting your home up for sale could sell your home faster and for a greater price. 

 

Apply a Fresh Coat of Paint

 

A fresh coat of paint makes your home shine and smell brand new. Paint the whole home with neutral colours to get buyers to see the home’s potential. 

If you have lived in your home for 10+ years, there’s a good chance the paint is dingy, has marks on it and needs a good sprucing up. You may overlook paint peeling in your house daily, but buyers and real estate agents won’t.

Accent walls should be repainted to match the rest of the walls.

 

Wash the Windows

 

Cleaning your windows will allow all the natural light you have to flood into the home. Window cleaning is one of those things we seldom do as homeowners. I have never washed the windows on my house so they would need a good deep clean if I were selling!

Think about hiring a professional to clean your windows and exterior before putting your home on the market.

 

Do a Deep Clean

 

Clean your home from top to bottom before showing your home from the ceiling fan blades to the picture frames, wall and baseboards. Show off the true potential of your home by cleaning all surfaces thoroughly. Remember to clean the floors under large appliances, like the fridge and stove.

 

Declutter

 

Decluttering is a great place to start when thinking about selling your home. Remove personal items, family pictures and anything that makes the room feel smaller. Thinning out some furniture and clearing off table tops and counters will make the house feel more significant to buyers. 

Also, remember that not everyone has pets, so remove any trace of your pet and the clutter.

 

Get Noticed by Updating the Curb Appeal

 

Landscaping gives the buyers the first impression of what they will find inside the home they are viewing. Your local garden center can help you decide the best way to get the most bang for your buck.

Simple changes such as reseeding the patchy lawn, adding new mulch around trees and adding colourful flowers boost your curb appeal.

 

Address Pests

 

Pests can inhabit your home without notice. However, if pests are noticeably present, get pest control to remove them from your home. Cleaning up the mess and initiating the removal of pests is a good place to start.

 

Upgrade Your Cabinets

 

Homeowners spend a lot of time in the kitchen, and it is the most viewed photo in the listing. Refreshing cabinets can greatly impact the sale of your home—either repaint or stain the existing cupboards. Replace the doors or drawer facades, then change the hardware to modern knobs and handles. Fix faulty drawers and doors so they all work correctly. If all those things are out of budget, giving the cupboards a good deep clean inside and out will work wonders too! 

 

Add a Backsplash

 

Another excellent way to update your kitchen is to change out the backsplash. Upgrading your backsplash is a cost-effective way to boost your kitchen’s appeal. 

Choose a backsplash that complements the existing countertop, floors, cabinetry or all three! The best part about adding a backsplash is it adds a little personality to the space and protects the paint from water damage and splatters while you are cooking. 

 

These are easy projects that take little time to tackle but are surefire ways to boost your home’s appeal to buyers. Try them out for yourself!

 

If you want to buy or sell a home, contact your local REALTOR® today! 

 

Selling September 9, 2022

Creative Home Staging Tips

 

 

It’s essential to showcase your home in the best way possible to potential home buyers. The more staging the home has, the more people will be interested in viewing the house and then buying it. Here are a few staging tips to consider before taking photos of your home and also opening your home for viewings.

 

Areas of Influence

 

Curb appeal is the first place to start when staging your home, and the first impression people have—think of a nice green lawn, flowers and trimmed trees. Inside the best areas to stage are the most high-traffic rooms, such as the kitchen, living room, main bathroom and primary bedroom. 

 

New Perspective

 

Try rearranging your furniture or removing pieces of furniture to open up the space. We see our homes the same way daily and grow accustomed to the layouts. But what will potential buyers see? Move furniture around to create a nice flow through the house so that viewers can see the space’s potential. If you are unsure how to accomplish this, call in the professionals.

 

Keep it Simple

 

Staging doesn’t have to be expensive. One affordable staging option is to remove personal items and clutter. Simplifying the objects in your house and decorating them with key pieces will appeal to more buyers.

 

Curb Appeal

 

A buyer first sees the front yard and entrance to your home. Ensure your lawn is mowed, trees are trimmed, and walks are swept. No need to re-landscape your whole yard, but having a tidy yard will pay off in dividends. Some other great suggestions include power washing all the siding, eaves, decks and driveways. Paint the front door a bright colour that compliments your home. Replace or paint any diminishing features of the house, and spread out an inviting welcome mat while you’re at it!

 

Kitchens

 

Kitchens are the feature that attracts most home buyers. Create an inviting space by deep cleaning your kitchen, including inside cabinets and behind appliances. Make the handles and appliances sparkle. Remove countertop appliances that aren’t used or kitchen clutter, like paper towel dispensers, to show off the counter space. Stage the kitchen with vibrant fruit bowls or well-appointed objects. Organize and destash your cupboards, so everything looks in order and has the appearance of lots of space. 

 

Furniture Placement

 

Furniture placement can make or break your buyer’s experience. Your space will look cluttered and small if there is too much furniture. Create a mood in each room with the furniture, typical furniture along the walls is dull, adding a bit of life to the house by changing the placement. Clean furniture and crisp bed coverings are a great way to make a home feel inviting. Show off the best features of your house by strategically placing furniture around fireplaces or great architectural details. Lines of sight to the windows will make all the rooms feel bright and more open.

 

Bedroom Makeovers

 

A tremendous primary bedroom adds a lot of value to a home and will bring a sense of comfort to potential buyers. Everyone wants to sleep in an oasis, and it can be effortless to transform your bedroom into one. The bed is the main focal point of any bedroom, so make sure the bedding is tucked in and clean—make it feel like a hotel room. Another nice add-on would be creating symmetry with matching nightstands and lamps.

 

Set the Mood with Light

 

Lighting is so important when selling a home. Before showing the home ensure all the curtains are open to flood the space with light and warmth. Replace all light fixture bulbs with warm ones, so every room has consistent lighting. If possible, have a few types of lighting, ranging from ambient, task and accent lights—having a variety of lights set the perfect mood for night or day showings.

 

Keep Things Fresh

 

You may want to add some greenery to your home to add a bit of coziness and life, however, steer away from plastic plants and flowers. Opting for natural plants and flowers is great for staging and creating life in your home.

 

Finishing Touches

 

The finishing touch on staging your home is removing all your personalized items so that homebuyers can have a blank slate to envision their stuff in it. Replace family photos with generic artwork. If you have decluttered everything, try adding back in some texture pillows and throws. Simple objects staged together in groups of three can showcase features of your home, like the fireplace mantle or built-in bookshelves. Play with scale, colours, shapes and textures of items to engage people’s interest.

 

Taking the time and effort to stage your home will be worth it when you sell it quickly. Following these staging tips will help you show off your home’s best features, and with any luck, you will be able to sell your home for top dollar. The more presentable your home is, the more it will stand out from the competition and elevate the perception of its value.

 

If you are interested in buying or selling your home, contact your local REALTOR® today!