1. Fresh exterior paint. If the home has siding or trim and you can see wood “bleeding” through flecks of paint, then the property needs to be painted prior to marketing it for sale. This should include the trim and fascia & front door!
2. New carpet. There are a handful of things that all buyers despise. Old or worn carpet is usually first or second on everyone’s list! At the very least, freshen your carpets with a good steam cleaning.
3. Remove old wallpaper. Buyers tell us that wallpaper makes a home seem “dated.” And it is a chore to remove but the extra effort can pay dividends.
4. Turn up the lights! Put high-wattage bulbs in a house to brighten it up for sale. They make everything seem to “pop” compared to underlit rooms or rooms where bulbs are burned out.
5. Change air filters and vacuum the vents! For sellers with pets, this is a must!
6. Remove litter boxes and anything that screams “pets.” Nothing will kill a sale quite as fast as an odorous kitty litter box. And if door jambs and the woodwork have been gnawed, fix or replace them prior to listing.
7. Fresh interior paint. The interior of a home shows best when walls are a neutral color, feature no more than two different colors, and have trim and baseboards that are painted a fresh white. Too many colors are too busy for buyers to deal with, and it can make the house sit longer. Remember that dark colors make a room feel smaller, whereas lighter colors make a room feel larger. There is a reason why builders typically use neutral colors. They sell!
8. Pressure wash. We’ve all seen it: the side or back of a house that was “green.” Pressure wash the exterior of the house. If needed, pressure wash the side of the neighbor’s house, too! (Do so only with their permission, of course.) Freshening up patios, walkways, driveways, & decks as needed, as well as landscaping, all pays off!
9. De-Clutter & Refurbish. Clearing counters and minimizing clutter and even furniture as needed, can help your rooms appear larger. Update cabinet pulls & refresh dated window treatments, clean all your windows, depersonalize family photos & collections, & give buyers a neutral canvas & sense of space so they can imagine themselves & their belongings in your home. If needed, freshen up stained cabinets with “Liquid Gold” and similarly, tired hardwoods can also be brought to life. Observe your home as if you were a buyer, and freshen up to the smallest detail inside & out. In some neighborhoods, if your competition has updated kitchen appliances, counters, & lighting fixtures, and you don’t, an investment in further updates for your home may pay dividends. Remember, you can only make one 1st impression, and that buyers usually “discount” for more than the cost of perceived repairs. Once you’re done, fresh flowers, soft background music, even freshly baked cookies, can add to your showing ambiance. There is some work involved in each step, but if you can appeal to the largest number of buyers and make the home feel like new, it will sell quickly and for a premium price!
