Lasting Impressions: Improvements that Help a Home Sell Quickly
Preparing a home for sale takes a lot of discussion and planning. You wouldn’t want to buy a home someone had decided to sell without making the repairs and upgrades necessary to make it appealing. It’s the largest investment most people will ever make, so your house needs to meet and, if possible, exceed a potential buyer’s expectations. If you’re in a hurry to sell, you need to impress buyers with improvements that can be made quickly and inexpensively. Fortunately, there are many ways to accomplish that goal.
Declutter
Nothing marks a house as dirty and disorganized quite like clutter. You could make high-priced improvements in every room and still struggle to interest a buyer if there’s loose paper everywhere, clothes on the floor, closets bulging with junk, and a general sense of disarray. People don’t just want to see cool features and fresh paint, they want to feel like your space could be theirs – it’s hard to convey that feeling to someone who has to walk around toys, empty CD cases, and decorations from last Christmas.
Most realtors agree that clutter is a sure-fire way to turn off a prospective buyer. Each room needs to be orderly, easy to move around in and should leave the impression that yours is an orderly and efficiently used space.
Decluttering also means getting rid of or storing large pieces of furniture and other objects that undermine flow from room to room. If so, consider renting space at a nearby storage facility if you’re short on room at home. Spend some time searching for appropriately sized and priced storage facilities online. For example, at Storage West – Cinco Ranch in Houston, 10’x10’ self-storage units are available for just $29.95 a month.
Modernize
Internet access, smartphones, flat-screen televisions and other forms of smart technology are commonplace with most homeowners these days. Make sure your house is fully adapted and ready for tech-savvy homeowners who are used to living a “plug-and-play” lifestyle. That means adding USB power outletsthroughout the house particularly in the bedrooms, kitchen and bathrooms. Make sure your home is wired for Internet access as well. These are especially important to young homeowners, who are likely to favor a home that’s technology-ready.
Check the flooring
It’s hard to overlook dirty, smelly carpeting and scratched-up wooden flooring. Buyers can’t help but think that cleaning, replacing or refinishing worn flooring will fall to them, a turn-off for people who are adding up costs as they walk through your home with a discriminating eye. Consider having a professional carpet cleaning company give yours a thorough steam cleaning, or give your hardwood flooring a waxing. The average cost of hiring carpet cleaners is $120 – $160.
Create space
Buyers are looking for lots of space these days. Exposed posts and half wallseat up a lot of the living space that buyers expect. Try to keep only walls that are load-bearing, conceal wiring or provide privacy.
Earthquake damage
Homebuyers in areas vulnerable to earthquakes such as California want to know that you’ve taken precautions to shore up your home against the possibility of an earthquake. Foundation bolting can provide stability, as can re-leveling and seismic retrofitting. This work generally costs anywhere from $4,000 to $7,000to complete. Also ensure your home has adequate draining and that it’s draining properly to prevent water damage.
When you have to sell a home quickly, creating a clean, well-ordered and visually appealing space is an excellent way to make a strong impression without spending too heavily on an investment that may or may not pay off. You want to show off a space that buyers can easily envision as their own.
Picture Courtesy of Pixaby.
