With some signs of housing recovery, many homeowners are hopeful that their houses will sell this summer season. If you are hoping to list your home and sell it during the prime real-estate purchasing months, it is important that you get your house ready to sell so it will have the best chance it can on the market. This doesn’t necessarily mean redoing your kitchen or tearing out all of your carpets, but it does mean doing as many simple and quick fixes as possible to make your home attractive to buyers.
Simple Steps to Sell Your House This Summer
While you should always listen to the advice of your real estate agent since he or she knows your local market best, here are a few simple tips to get your house ready to make a great impression on buyers:
- Clean, clean, clean. Having a clean house doesn’t cost you anything and it is essential to making a good first impression. While people might buy a dirty home in a hot market or if it is a great house, a dirty home can be a major turn-off and a potential buyer may simply leave and go on to the next one with market conditions the way they are today.
- Remove the clutter. Overstuffed closets and overcrowded cabinets will make a buyer feel as if he or she is not going to have enough storage or space in the house. Likewise, having too much furniture can make a house look small and can hide architectural features. Remove as much clutter as you can and even put items into storage if necessary.
- Get rid of personal items. Buyers need to be able to picture themselves in your home and they can do that better if your kid’s pictures and artwork and all of your other personal items are put away. They didn’t come to the house to get to know you- they came to the house to see the house.
- Have clearly defined spaces. If you converted your dining room into a playroom, now may be the time to put the dining table back. Buyers need to know and understand what each room in the house is for, and furniture can help them to do that.
- Consider the value of neutrals. While you do not need to go out and buy all new furniture, if your home is painted in a lot of wild colors, it may be smart to repaint into more neutral choices so that buyers aren’t turned off by the cosmetic.
- Make simple repairs. When home buyers see things that are broken, especially obvious things, it gets them wondering what else is broken or wrong with the home that they might not see. If you can fix a leaking faucet, replace a broken door knob and otherwise take care of simple repairs, it will do lot to help you to sell your home.
These are just a few simple tips to help you get your house ready to sell. Remember, you want to ensure you have a welcoming and inviting home for buyers to come through and you want to make them feel that the home is a warm and wonderful place that they will enjoy as much as you did.