With a long hard winter more than half over, thoughts are turning to the well deserved upcoming Springtime season. If you are considering putting your home on the market for sale in the Spring, now is the time to prepare and get your home in the best presentation condition possible. Small cosmetic updates, repairs and cleaning to the inside of your home can make a world of difference for presentation to prospective buyers. When presenting your home, remember "eye appeal is buy appeal". You want your home to stand out! Clean, crisp and well organized homes can sell quicker than homes that appear "shabby or cluttered" to buyers. Here are a few simple tips, most, if not all, can be done yourself to help get your home ready to sell in the Spring:
1. Clear the clutter! Less is more! Buyers want to see the space your home offers. Unnecessary clutter and personal belongings (pictures, knick knacks, mementos, family heirlooms) crowd the field of vision and may give the inside of your home a cramped look. De-personalize your home by organizing, packing and storing as many of your personal posessions as possible. Remove extra or old/shabby furniture. Rent a storage unit if you have to, or store with a trusted friend/family member. You'll be glad you did because when moving day comes, you have already taken the time to carefully label and store some of your most precious items.
2. Brighten up! Clean the windows inside and out, have dirty carpets steam cleaned, repaint faded or out of style colors with neutral tones. Neutral colors are easy to accessorize with and lighter colors also help to "open" up a room. You don't want potential buyers to remember your home for having neon colored bedrooms or a lime green bathroom!
3. Rearrange kitchen cabinets, bedroom/linen closets. Organizing these key storage areas within your home will give potential buyers a better idea of the space. The idea is to give these areas the appearance of being spacious. A full closet or messy kitchen cabinets won't allow potential buyers to really "see" the space.
4. Make minor, DIY repairs. Patch and paint any holes in walls. Fix any cracked tiles/grout in kitchen and bathrooms. Tighten door hinges, recaulk tubs and sinks. Fix leaky faucets.
5. Spring clean! Dust ceiling fan blades and venetion blinds, replace worn out area rugs, clean and air out any musty smelling areas. Your home must not only appear to be clean, it has to smell that way too. Change out old, worn window treatments. Replace all burned out lightbulbs. Small touches like scented soaps and towels tied with ribbons in the bathrooms add a special touch. You want your home to sparkle!
6. Exterior -- when the weather permits, rake, plant flowers, keep the grass mowed, powerwash the exterior and paint any surfaces in need of touchups. The color yellow has a powerful effect on evoking the "buying emotion". Group flower pots together, marigolds are a cheap, plentiful option. Make sure the number of your home is clearly visible.
CENTURY 21 Travis Real Estate