When putting your home up for sale you want to do everything you can to bring about a fast sale. Because the process is inherently stress packed. Which is why it's often referred to as life in a fish bowl. Putting you and your home on display at a moments notice. Which frankly few find to be fun.
To minimize your stay in stressed out mode you want to do all you can to impress would be buyers on first sight. And to do that you want to make them feel they're being wooed. That starts with curb appeal. And is continued by presenting the appearance of the most maintenance-free home they can imagine themselves in. Because after going through all the packing and unpacking involved in a move who wants to deal with a toilet over flow at 1:00 AM their first week in the place?
Now if you can possibly dig up even 00 a low cost (read cosmetic) home makeover is possible. Maybe not a dazzling remodel. But something good enough to make your house stand out from the competing houses on the market. All clamoring for attention from the same pool buyers you're trying to attract.
That's right. A few bucks combined with ample elbow grease can spiff up your house better than you might think possible. And yes, it does need to be clean beyond anything you might imagine to successfully lure in your replacement owner sooner rather than later.
Naturally there are a couple of areas that deserve immediate attention. Inside that would be the kitchen and bath. Those are the two most important rooms in the house in fact. Plus the impression made by the front entrance as seen when pulling up to the curb is also vitally important.
Plus you want to eliminate anything that might generate an "Oh Yuck" response on sight. Any flaw fitting that description has to be fixed, resolved or replaced. Be it an oil stain on the drive that rivals the Exxon Valdez oil spill. Or a set in Kool-aid stain sitting in the middle of the living room carpet.
So take a good hard look at the front entrance. Does is invite with a "Welcome. Come on in?" look? If not that's an image easily created by a shiny, new, brass mailbox, freshly painted front door, new door hardware and shrubbery that is nicely trimmed and framed by plantings appropriate for the season.
When it comes to the kitchen and bathrooms let me ask you. What kind of impression will the bathroom vanity make upon closer inspection? Is the grout or caulking white and sparkling or somewhat less so? Would a new faucet make a difference?
How are the kitchen appliances? Consider replacing the oldest among them. Especially if it sports a name badge of a manufacturer that went out of business decades ago.
Before the listing hits the MLS, you want to get the deep cleaning and de-cluttering out of the way. It can't hurt to visit a model home to see what you're up against since that might be a good standard to compare to. Because you can bet some buyers will be doing just that. Comparing your house to a new build.
Anyone looking to speed up the sale would be wise to heed any of this advice. Because nothing impresses like a clean, spotless, freshly painted house. You're telegraphing it's been well maintained and is in move in ready condition. Which is the best way to sweep buyers off their feet. And the more of those you so sweep the sooner you'll find yourself in the former owner category.
