Preparing Your Home For Sale On A Budget.

To get the best price for your property in less time, you need to think like a businessperson rather than a homeowner. Think of yourself buying your first property, what was the most important thing to you? It was totally emotional, right? Now you are the seller, you need to rig out your emotions because this is business.

Maybe you don’t have enough money to do big improvement and most of the time it is not necessary. Just follow this enhancement plan and take full advantage of these ideas. With a minimum amount of time and expense, you will make your house stand out of the competition.

Have you ever been to a model home before?  From the entrance to the end, everything looks perfect, nothing is out of place. Everyone would like to live in a model home. Well, this is exactly what you will try to recreate to make buyers feel at home. Then, the first thing to do is depersonalize the house by packing as much as possible because sooner or later you will do it, why wait? Remove out of sight any personal item, family pictures, political or religious statements, and unusual art or furniture.

The first 15 seconds in your home front.

When the buyer arrives at the property, in the first 15 seconds, he/she develop an opinion of the property. Therefore, is especially important to take care of the exterior of the house to have a curb appeal.

Sidewalk:

Clean your sidewalk and remove the weeds that may be growing there.

Fence:

A freshly painted fence gives a nice look. If there is something broke, repair or replace that part.

Mailbox:

Paint the old mailbox to give the buyer the idea that you care about the details.

Landscaping:

Trimmed the shrubs cost little and have a big impact. Keep your lawn well maintained

Driveway:

Take care of the surface’s condition of your driveway. Remove the stain and reseal the worn. Sometimes with pressure cleaning is enough, others you need to paint it. Park your car down the street while showing the property if you think it will be a detriment to the look of the property.

Paint:

One of the best investments you can make to increase the value is to paint the house. If you don’t want to spend the money to paint the entire house, consider painting the front and the shutters.

Windows:

Replace any cracked or broken glass, clean, and paint where needed. Consider installing shutters. It will be a point in your favor because it will help buyers save money.

Roof:

A well-maintained roof gives you an advantage in the first 15 seconds. Replace any missing or broken shingles or tiles. Paint fascia boards and repair flashing where needed. If the roof needs to be replaced, consider having the work done before showing the property.

Gutters:

Clean the gutters and consider replacing highly visible ones if they are broken

Doorway:

This is the focal point of the house. Paint the front door and install new door hardware. Install a new front door light fixture.

Feeling at home

Once the buyer enters your house, he/she may feel at home. For that reason, it is necessary to keep the house as neutral as possible so the buyer could stage in her/him mind. Consider packing as much as you can

Light:

People prefer properties under bright light than dark. Keep the windows clean. Replace old fluorescent lamps and light bulbs. Use light wall colors. Open blinds and turn on lights before showing.

Color:

A rule of thumb is to keep colors neutral and light. White, gray, and beige are the most popular for the exterior while very light pastel, white, or off-white is the best choice for the interior. Remove wallpaper or avoid it.

Sound:

A light and soft music could create a pleasing atmosphere when showing your house to a prospective buyer. Avoid noise like barking dogs, lawnmowers, or any sound of mechanical problems.

Smell:

May impact more than you thought. Freshness and cleanliness smells are important to the selling environment of your house. Avoid strong pet odors, tobacco, and cooking. A box of baking soda on your fridge helps to neutralize and absorb odors. Use lemon scents or fresh flowers to create a fresh environment.

Kitchen:

Probably it is the most important place in your house with the greatest contribution to the value of the property. Have your kitchen sparkly clean, organized, and freshly painted. Consider having professionally refinished if your appliances are dated or replace them. If your cabinets look old, you can replace the doors and hardware. Unclutter your countertop by removing the small kitchen appliances. Repair or replace a damaged countertop. Install new lighting if needed.

Living room:

Clean windows and light fixtures. Repair any cosmetic cracks or holes in the walls or floor. Avoid having a lot and exceptionally large furniture. Place any personal item or family picture out of sight.

Bedrooms:

Keep the room tidy and the beds made. Clean the windows, carpets, and rugs. Refresh the air with lemon scents. Organize closets to increase the perceived sized. Consider installing ceiling fans, it could be practical and attractive.

Bathrooms:

You can enhance the appearance by replacing the old toilet seat and vanity, and old light fixtures. Repaint the old tub or replace it if needed it. If the towel rack is old, consider replacing it. Fresh the air with citrus scents. If your budget allows, change the shower curtain for shower doors.

The extras are a plus

After the pandemic, the extra features in a property became one of the most important priorities when looking for a house. You must keep an eye on how they look like when you show it to a prospective buyer.

Pool:

Keep your pool sparkling clean. Replace and repair broken tiles. Clean the pool filter and heating equipment area. Have a professional service or refinish the surface if the pool is stained.

Garage:

Declutter your garage and clean the oil spots on the floor. Install a garage door opener. Consider painting the garage floor with oil-based gray if needed.

Backyard:

Replace the dying plants for new ones. If the grass is sparse consider replacing it with fresh grass. Clean up and painting a shed or take down any structure in extremely poor conditions. Repair cracks in a concrete slab or cement sidewalk and power clean them. Add decorative rocks or stone and lights. If your budget allows, add a barbecue grill with a patio cover and a seating area.