Selling a home takes patience, but if you have to move out faster than you would like, don’t waste any time putting together an action plan. The first step is to figure out how much you can make from your current home so you can determine what you can afford for your next residence. However, if you need to sell quickly, you may have to be more strategic with your pricing. Lowering it slightly can provoke interest in more than one price bracket — otherwise known as the “herd mentality.” It can also be helpful to set a price that can be found in real estate searches, again keeping in mind that pricing too high may knock you out of the game.
Of course, pricing is an ongoing discussion with your agent, and since it’s advisable that you make some upgrades before open house day — such as installing new ceramic or porcelain flooring to the bathroom — you may even be able to increase the value of your abode. When considering what projects you should tackle, try to differentiate yourself from your neighbors so that your home is more memorable — but that doesn’t mean you should neglect the inside. Here are a few ideas to get you started so you can be on your way.
Clear The Clutter
Clutter kills, so before anything else, remove anything you don’t plan on taking with you to your next home and start packing up items that have a more personal feel, including anything associated with a hobby, taste-specific decor, family photos, and superfluous knick-knacks. The goal is to create a home that appeals to the masses, so it needs to look as neutral as possible. Don’t stop at decluttering. Give your home a deep clean to really make it shine. You’re best off hiring a cleaning service for the job.
Create The Illusion Of Space
Space sells, but if you have a home with smaller rooms, create the illusion of space by painting your walls in a neutral shade — two-tone walls can also make a room appear larger than it actually is. Simply paint the top half lighter than the bottom to create an illusion of higher ceilings. If you’d rather hire painters, it’ll likely cost you around $400 to have a medium-sized room painted.
Up Your Landscaping Game
While you want to create an attractive landscape, don’t make it too high maintenance, as it will only present a red flag to potential buyers (read: maintenance costs). Some effective, yet simple ideas include installing a patio so that there’s less grass to upkeep, adding mulch to fertilize plants and prevent weeds, planting lavender to banish bugs, filling the yard with low-maintenance perennials, and incorporating potted shrubs and blooms. In terms of basic maintenance, make sure you replace any patchy and/or dead grass, rake the leaves, and remove weeds.
Make Plumbing Repairs And Address Water Damage
A dripping sink, mold, or water damage is a surefire turn-off (especially since bathrooms and the kitchen are priorities for most buyers), so make an effort (hire a pro if need be) to make any necessary repairs. For example, replace tired toilet seats, freshen up the caulking around the toilets and sinks, replace shower curtains (mold alert), and consider replacing any chipped tiles or replacing tile flooring altogether -- explore the beautiful selection of tiles at The Galleria of Tile and enlist our efficient installation services.
Consider Larger Projects
In some cases, you might want to take on even larger projects such as kitchen or bathroom remodeling. But before investing the cash, make sure you talk to your real estate agent, as they are more apt to know exactly which features and updates will have the greatest impact on the buyers in your market and your ROI.
If you want to up the ante on open house day, consider cookies and lemonade a thing of the past. The unique home-selling tactics of today include everything from throwing in extras (think: the leather couch you don’t want to take with you) to serving delicious snacks and drinks at your next open house. If you need to move quickly, try to be open minded when it comes to the selling process.
Looking to add beauty and value to the home before listing it? The Galleria of Tile can help you select the right tiling projects for your needs. Contact us today!
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