When you put your house on?the market, we know you want to make an awesome profit so that you can move into your new digs in style. Did you know, though, that so many people leave money on the table just because they didn?t do a few small updates? Don?t let that be you! Below we?ve listed 20 things that will help your house sell for even more money than you ever dreamed possible!
1. Keep it furnished. I know you just bought that swanky new house and you?re missing your favorite chair, but it?s best if you keep it right there in the house you are trying to sell. Studies have shown that houses sell much better when they are filled with furniture since potential buyers can better envision themselves living there.
2. Lose the zebra stripes. Your jungle themed nursery was adorable; I?ll give you that. However, potential buyers might not be wowed by the black and white zigzags. The same goes for any personal choice that you?ve made in your home from lime green paint to those cute flower wallpaper borders.
3. Patch basic issues. You know all those things we put off, like patching small holes in the wall or touching up that bathroom paint? Well, now is the time to finally cross those things off of your to do list! Small repairs like these are so easy to fix and can cover up some serious eyesores.
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4. Stage the area. Remember not to leave your house ?as is.? Stage it like it?s a hotel room with the beds made, the kitchen clean, and some nice pillows on the couch! It might not seem like much, but a little bit goes a long way in terms of staging.
5. Repaint in neutrals. That dark red paint you chose really created a high end look in the dining room, but all your buyers can think about when they see it is how hard it is to paint over red. Do the hard work for them! Get your paint on!
6. Make your outdoor area sparkle. Your outdoor space is basically like an extra room. Go ahead and make it look fabulous.? I know the folding chairs work just fine, but your buyers aren?t your friends, and they want to see some nice furniture out there so they can envision hosting their own barbeques.
7. List in the spring. Houses sell better when the grass is green, the flowers are blooming, and the sun in shining. If you can wait, try to list it in the spring when everything looks alive and your driveway isn?t covered in snow.
8. Listen to your Realtor. If your Realtor tells you to make a small change or update, chances are they?re right. You?ve got to trust the people who have been in the business for a while, as they know exactly what your buyers are looking for.
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9. Declutter. Your glass figurine collection is adorable, and I?m sure that they are worth a lot of money, but all buyers can feel is cramped when they look at shelves covered in knickknacks. The same goes for your kitchen countertops. You might be a master chef with every appliance on Earth, but your buyers will only be impressed with the amount of counter space you are selling.
10. Keep it smelling clean. You definitely don?t have to drench your home in Chanel or buy one of those alarming air fresheners that puff all by themselves. What is best is just having your house smell clean or not smell like anything at all. Some of our best tips include taking out the trash, making sure all your laundry is clean, and baking some cookies before you leave!
11. Get rid of pet products. Being an obsessed dog lady, I completely understanding having pet beds and pet toys all over your home. However, some people are allergic to animals, and seeing those items around your home might cause them to skip considering yours all together.
12. Show off your storage. You know how people love a good storage closet. They?ll practically pass up a house that doesn?t have one! Make sure that yours actually looks nice and organized. A storage closet that?s stuffed to the gills sends the message that you don?t have enough storage at all. A closet with just a few labeled boxes has that casual ?I have too much space? vibe.
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13. Update your curb appeal. If you list your house in the spring, make sure you plant some grass seed, sweep the front porch, and get a new doormat. Even the littlest updates can make a huge impact!
14. Paint your front door. Come on. You know you?ve always wanted to! A freshly painted front door shows buyers that your house is well cared for and loved. A dull or chipping front door makes them wonder if you?ve completed any updates at all.
15. Buy plants. Even if you kill plants within days of having them, keep in mind they only have to stay alive for a showing! Fresh flowers and plants make a house feel fresh and alive. Buyers love it!
16. Wash your windows. When people clean their house, they always seem to forget about the windows! Remember, you want to draw attention to the bright, natural light in the house, so keep the windows squeaky clean.
17. Show your home during the day. Similar to the previous tip, showing a house during the day helps buyers to get a feel for the neighborhood and the type of light the house gets during the day.
18. Hang curtains high and wide. If you hang your curtains a few inches higher than your windows, it actually gives the illusion that your ceilings are taller, and what buyer doesn?t like that?
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19. Organize the kitchen drawers. Buyers probably won?t look in your bedroom drawers (at least, I hope not!) but they have good reason to look in the kitchen drawers to see what kind of storage your house has. So, get some of those clear acrylic drawer dividers and kick your junk drawer to the curb.
20. Remove family pictures. Lastly, take some time to remove family pictures from your house and replace them with some more generic art. Remember, the whole point is to get your buyers to envision what it would be like to live there, and it?s a lot easier to do when they can?t see pictures of the current family.
So, there you have it ? 20 tips to help you make a ton of money when selling your home. Is there anything that we missed?