Tips to Increase the Your Home Value
There is a lot of advice at our fingertips about the best way to prepare your home for sale, increase your home value and sell it quickly. Not all of the advice available is correct and it’s important to understand the source to determine if it holds any truth.
The tips below to increase your home value are straight from the mouths of real estate agents, taken from a survey completed by Consumer Reports National Research Center. These tips have proven time and again to help increase home value and bring in offers.
De-clutter and Stage
Staging has grown in popularity thanks to the many shows on television focusing on the housing industry. It has been proven that the time and money you spend in this area will pay off for you in the end. Buyers are not able to see past all of your personal items. Simply de-cluttering your space goes a long way in allowing buyers to see your house and not your “stuff.”
Home staging helps to showcase each of your rooms in the best way possible and to create a feeling for buyers of what their lives could be like it they had your house.
Clean
If buyers see a dirty house they automatically (and even unconsciously) wonder how well you have really taken care of the property. When you are ready to list your house and have finished de-cluttering it, you should thoroughly clean it. Then keep it cleaned so you will be ready for any showings as they arise. The consumer report actually shows that taking care of this area can provide you a 3% to 5% return on your investment.
Focus on Curb Appeal
You want to create curb appeal that brings the buyer to your front door. If the exterior of your home and landscaping looks uncared for buyers will fear that the inside will look the same way. If you have a smaller budget to use in this area focus on the entryway and front door. A few strategically placed planters with pops of color with draw their eye to your door.
Details Matter
The buyers will pay attention to the small details so you should as well. Make sure you don’t have any burnt out light bulbs. Have your windows cleaned to allow the most amount of sunlight to shine through. Make sure your coffee table books are not on controversial topics and put away your personal photographs.
Freshen Up Your Bathrooms and Kitchen
Most people have heard it said that kitchens and bathrooms sell homes. If you have a little bit of money find a few ways to freshen up these rooms. A fresh coat of neutral paint and updated cabinet hardware can go a long way in changing the look of your rooms.
Use a Professional Photographer
The majority of buyers are now searching online before they ever step foot into a house. Use the Internet listing to your advantage by hiring a real estate photographer to take the photos of your house. High quality pictures go a long way in enticing buyers to want to see your house. A professional will know the right time of day to take advantage of natural sun light in your area and the correct angles to use to properly showcase the rooms.
Remember that as buyers come to look at your house that they are not judging you, they are trying to determine if your house is the best fit for them. Do not take it personally when you have buyers that simply walk away. Taking advantage of these tips will help you attract the right buyer for your property, while also increasing your home value.