If you’re contemplating hiring a realtor or considering putting your house on the market, chances are, you want to see results – and most of the time, sooner rather than later. You could have an excellent piece of property on your hands as is; however, there are a few tricks of the trade that guarantee a much higher rate of satisfaction with buyers and sellers alike. Below, are seven fool-proof ways that you can give your home the highest selling potential – and who wouldn’t want that?
1. DISASSOCIATE YOURSELF FROM YOUR HOME
I know, this one is difficult. Your home is full of precious memories and treasured times spent with those you love, but if you ever hope to make the move, you have to look at your home as a product – same as you would look at a box of cereal sold on the grocery store shelf. That also means removing any personal photographs or heirlooms that would make it more restrictive for the buyer to overlook. You want them to say, “I can see myself living here!” not analyzing your family portrait circa 1992.
http://www.buzzfeed.com via awkward family photos
2. YOU MUST DE-CLUTTER!
Families merging, new births, outdated clothes, unwanted Christmas gifts, things stored away for a rainy day. Eventually, your home is bursting with stuff! Some of it may be really great stuff, but you’ve got to sort through all of it so that you can decipher what needs to go. Nobody likes walking through a messy, crowded space. This can get sentimental, but when going through things, ask yourself, “Do I really need this? Is it being utilized? Do I look and feel great wearing it?” If the answer is no, get it off your hands! There are fabulous charities in San Antonio that will be more than ecstatic to take these items; you will feel great about doing a good deed and your house will feel more spacious!
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3. ORGANIZE TO IMPRESS
How would you feel if you were taking a tour of a home and when you opened the pantry door to gaze inside, boxes came crashing down on you? It would more than likely be difficult to redo that impression. How would it feel to open a medicine cabinet and see everything in tidy bins and labeled? I, myself, would be thinking “if this owner keeps something this small organized, he or she has probably also taken very good care of this house.” Though tedious, organization speaks volumes!
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4. MAKE THE HOUSE SPARKLE
Did you ever hear your grandmother spout, “Child, cleanliness is next to godliness.” You probably rolled your eyes and snickered, but she did have a point. A perfectly charming house, if left to mold, mildew, dirt, and stains could negatively distract a buyer; however a mediocre house cleaned to the nines could suddenly offer a buyer a refreshing new optimism. While your home is on the market, you should make every effort to keep the place in tip-top shape!
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5. MAKE MINOR IMPROVEMENTS
No one said you had to do a full scale renovation to be competitive in the seller’s market, but if there are noticeable easy repairs to be made, use some of that stored up elbow grease and get to work! You want to make sure that light bulbs are replaced, doors don’t jam, holes in the wall are patched up. This will actually go a long way to show buyers that you have put some TLC into your home.
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6. SCRUTINIZE YOUR HOME FROM A THIRD-PARTY PERSPECTIVE
This one can be challenging, but you want to make sure you have done everything in your power to ensure that your home has a strong possibility to sell. You need to walk through each room, stand out in front of the house and evaluate, “Would I buy this house?,” “Do I think it looks appealing?” If you’re incapable of doing this on your own, ask a family member or friend, or better yet – there are plenty of capable staging professionals out there – including T Stevens Real Estate!
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7. NEVER UNDERESTIMATE CURB APPEAL
As unfortunate as it may be, a buyer will never even enter the premises of your house if they don’t like what they see on the outside. You may have brand new hardwood floors, a recent remodel from some fancy design firm, or a priceless chandelier; but if your outside is looking shabby, buyers will write you off. That exterior photo on your MLS listing and the drive-by that buyers will inevitably do carry a lot of weight! You must evaluate your landscaping, your exterior structure, and the condition of any paint. You will feel so much better once you plant some pretty flowers, I promise!
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*Refrences from homebuying.about.com
