Small and easy changes can have big effects on the sale of your home. Most of these changes are common sense, but like most things, we forget about them. The world is busy. It is complex. And there is too much to think about, so it is only natural that we might forget these simple fixes.
Fresh Paint goes a Long Way
You might think it obvious. People buy based on what they like. What they like must appeal to the eyes as they walk through the home. A quick way to sink the value of your home in the eyes of your buyer is by having paint that is dirty, worn or an offensively bright color.
Today, I helped a young couple search for a house for them and their two children. Thumbing through the pictures, we came across three houses with bathrooms that looked just like the pictured image.
It does not matter how nice the rest of the house is. Now, all my buyers remember is the bright pink bathroom. I tell them they can paint, but they would rather look at other houses. This pink bathroom killed the sale for this house to these buyers.
Walk through your own home. Look at the walls. Do any of them have bright colors? If yes, consider painting them a neutral color or a pale tint of a color. You do not have to remove color from your home, but mute it so that it is not the only thing that your potential buyer remembers.
Box Up Your Belongings
Have you ever walked through a model home in a new housing development? There is something special about the feel of it to buyers. The house is full of furniture, but it doesn’t feel cluttered or overwhelming.
If you have kids or pets, you know how hard it is to remove or prevent clutter. Let’s call it impossible.
However, there are several things you can do to reduce clutter and give your home the “model home” feel.
Start by boxing up almost everything that you do not use on a daily basis. Books on the shelves. Ornaments and statues. Pots and pans that are rarely touched, and old clothing in the closet. These are all things that we can box up early without really feeling the effects. Boxing up your belongings has the following effects:
- It makes your home feel less cluttered.
- It saves you time when it is time to pack and move.
- It sells your home more quickly.
Take more than one photo of the house.
Here is a photo of a house. Do you want to buy it?
There are two problems with photos. Some listings have way too many. They take so many pictures that the buyer never feels the need to see the house. The buyer takes one look at picture #39 and sees a spot on the carpet that makes the house impossible to sell, even though the buyer would have loved it had they seen it in person.
The second problem occurs much more frequently: The single photo. No one sees a single photo of a house today and things, I really want to see inside that house. When I am showing listings to potential buyers, I usually have to twist their arms a good bit to even consider looking inside one of these homes.
Often, the seller elects to only show the outside of the house because they feel a need for privacy. That need to feel private will kill the sale of your home.
To combat this problem, allow your agent to post the six best pictures of your home. Just six is all you need. Those six pictures should not capture your entire home. They must only create a feeling that makes the buyer want to see more.
Pro tip: If you work with a good agent, your agent will spend his or her own money to hire a professional photographer to make your house look its best. I use a professional photographer for all my listings to give you the best chance at success.
Do you want me to list your house?
Call me to talk about how we can sell your house most quickly. Call me at 610-360-9558. Click to dial now. Dial Now