Home Selling Strategies

Home Selling Strategies Real Estate Columnist Whether you put your home on the market in the Summer, Fall, Spring or Winter, there are a few things that you can do that can help your home sell faster and for more money. One of the first things you might consider is de-personalizing the space. When potential buyers walk in, you want them to envision living in the home, making it their own. It is harder for people to do that when the walls are covered with your family photos and pictures of your beloved pets. If you are still living in the home, it might be a good idea to rent a storage locker or container. De- cluttering is helpful as well. It helps the potential buyer get a clear picture of the home, especially if the rooms are on the smaller side. If rooms haven’t been painted in a while, it would be in your best interest to invest some time and money in this. Listings often advertise ‘freshly painted throughout’, it is very appealing to some people. When choosing a paint colour, always stick to neutrals to appeal to the masses as opposed to just a few who may like the distinct colour you chose. Keeping colours light also appeals to most because if they don’t like the colour, there is not as much work to paint it over as there is with darker colours. Rather than putting things in cupboards and closets, clean them out to make them look larger. People will certainly be opening them as storage is important to home buyers. To really make rooms shine, it might be worthwhile to hire a cleaning service to get at every nook and cranny, areas that we often overlook. Odors can really be a turnoff to potential buyers. Make sure that anything that can retain smell has been thoroughly cleaned. Smell is the first thing that is noticed when people walk through the door. When cleaning and pulling things away from walls, it is a good idea to check for any minor repairs that may need to be dealt with. With some things it really doesn’t hurt to replace them with brand new ones if they look worn or dated. Like floor registers, light switches, or cabinet hardware. Paying attention to your front entrance area can pay dividends. Always make sure the entrance is clean, clear of any shoes, coats, or bags. You do not want potential buyers tripping over anything as soon as they walk through the door. Lighting can be very important. If you have dated lighting, it may be a good idea to invest in some newer lighting in strategic areas like the main floor. If you cannot afford to do the whole house or an entire floor, concentrate on the entry, kitchen, and bathroom. Always try to dress up the exterior of the home where you can. Curb appeal will make potential buyers want to tour your home. Staging can play an important role in how a home shows. There are some wonderful staging companies out there that offer different packages from a few items to a whole house. If you opt to do the staging yourself, simply look at some homes for sale and see how they are staging their rooms. You can get some great ideas from what other people are doing and perhaps save yourself a bit of money in the process. Questions? Column ideas? You can email me at newspaper@ocentral.com