5 Things You Can Do To Increase The Value Of Your Home Before You Sell

Getting ready to list your home on the market?  Before you do, you may want to do a few things first. If you’re selling your home, you certainly want the price to be as high as possible. Unfortunately, many sellers make the mistake of selling their home as is, thereby forfeiting some home value. Before listing your home, use these five easy and affordable home selling tips to boost your home’s value and get more potential buyers to consider placing an offer. These projects will not only create more visual appeal for would be buyers, it can also make your home sell faster.

1. Improve the Lighting Home buyers have different ideas about the kind of lighting that they want. By installing dimmer switches, you make it easy for anyone to envision a happy experience in your home. Replace traditional switches with dimmer switches in several places, but don’t get carried away. Focus on bedrooms, the dining room, the living room, and wherever people might want to set a specific mood. Natural lighting is also important because sunlight tends to evoke positive emotions. Open the curtains, clean the windows, and let the sunshine in during daytime showings. Be careful to avoid direct sunlight or glares.

2. Appeal to the Sense of Smell The sense of smell is extremely powerful because it helps people remember experiences. Whether these experiences are positive or negative is entirely up to you. Put air fresheners in the bathroom and fresh flowers in the kitchen. Light a scented candle. Bake an apple pie if necessary. Just make your house smell great. On the other side of things, avoid having conflicting scents or an overwhelming smell. Many people get headaches when scents are too strong. The idea is simply to replace undesirable smells with a light, positive scent. Avoid harsh chemicals when cleaning. Focus on areas where pets spend a lot of time. Seasonal scents are always charming and remind people of family and togetherness.

3. Keep It Neutral Most people want a neutral home or have plans so specific that they plan on remodeling their new house. The most important way to make a home appear neutral is to remove wallpaper and paint over any odd colors, but don’t stop with paint. Choose neutral decor as well. Put strange, quirky decor in a box in a discreet place. Don’t make your house look boring, but make it look like it has all the potential in the world to fit any personality.

4. Be Clean and Tidy Don’t expect the new homeowners to clean up your messes. That will cost them time, money, and a lot of comfort. In the end, you will pay the price. Get the carpets professionally cleaned, mop the hard floors, scrub the bathrooms, and wash every window. Hire a cleaning service if necessary. Fix any holes in the walls. Repair the odds and ends that may have been neglected over the years. Put all excess belongings in storage. This opens up your home and makes it feel larger and more versatile.

5. Don’t Forget the Outside Real estate agents and potential buyers will form an opinion about your home before they even walk inside, and first impressions can make all the difference. Pull weeds, mow lawns, sweep porches, and clean the oil spots on the driveway. Hide the clutter of kids’ toys, and clean the pool or hot tub. Put potted plants around the perimeter of the house. Paint the front door if necessary. Simple yard maintenance goes a long way and will make your home look phenomenal from the beginning.

Have questions on how to get the most value out of the sale of your home?  Contact me here, I’d be happy to give you some suggestions.