If you’re looking to put your home on the market, making a good first impression with potential buyers is crucial. Buyers typically make their decisions based on their first impression, so planning and staging your home is important if you want a quick sell. However, when it comes to getting your home ready to sell, it can be hard to know what needs to be done to get the best possible results. Is a quick clean enough, or are some upgrades needed?
Before you fork over big bucks on expensive renovations (that might not impress buyers), here are some things to consider when getting your home ready to sell.
Major Renovations or Minor Upgrades?
Unless you are a professional house flipper, then costly renovations probably aren’t necessary to ensure a good first impression. However, if you have an outdated kitchen or bathroom, then minor upgrades can do a great deal to change a room’s look. In fact, small upgrades like a change in faucet fixtures, cabinet handles and a new coat of neutral paint on the walls will do more to create a good first impression than a fancy one-room renovation.
If you really want to do something major before selling your house, then focus on kitchens, bathrooms or flooring. These are important areas for buyers, and you can easily recoup your investments.
Kitchens
Focus on counter-top surfaces, cabinets and faucets. Matching appliances might sweeten the deal for some buyers, but that money is usually better spent on other areas in the kitchen.
Bathrooms
Shower doors, fixtures, vanities and lighting are great areas for upgrades. Repairing tiles, caulking or even toilet seats are quick, inexpensive ways to make a good first impression.
Flooring
When it comes to flooring options, hardwood flooring is likely to add the most value to your home. According to the National Wood Flooring Association, 99% of US real estate agents say that homes with hardwood area easier to sell, 90% of agents say that homes with hardwood sell for more money (up to 10% more than homes that are identical without hardwood floors), and 82% of agents say homes sell faster with hardwood. Additionally, 80% of homeowners believe that wood floors add the most value to their home.
Sparkly Clean & Show Ready
One of the easiest, cheapest and most important things to do to get your home ready to sell is to make sure it’s clean from top to bottom! This is also the most inconvenient part of selling a home-which is having to have your home “show-ready” at all times. This means making sure things like the trash is always emptied, no dishes in the sink or dishwasher, your closets and storage areas are kept nice and tidy-people will snoop! The cleaner and more organized your home feels, the more they can see themselves living there.
If you already have hard surface floors, then a deep clean is a must. Use an oxygenated formula that is safe for your floor’s surface to restore its natural beauty. Be sure to spend focus on kitchens and bathrooms as well. If you want to get the best deep clean for hardwood floors, consider a professional contractor to the do job. At Mansion Hill, we are Bona Certified Craftsman which means we can safely extract dirt and grime from your floors with a high-powered scrubber and deep cleaning solution, and there is no need to evacuate.
De-Clutter
There’s a reason that “De-clutter!” is the battle cry of professional stagers everywhere. A house packed with stuff looks smaller, and it might make it harder for potential buyers to see themselves living there. If you’re moving because you’ve outgrown your current home, you may need to pack up boxes and stack them in the garage, or even rent a small storage unit temporarily. It’s not convenient, but at least decluttering is cheap — even if you do end up renting storage for a few months. A good rule of thumb is to take 1/2 of your stuff and pack it away.
And remember, your goal is to help your house put its best foot forward. As awkward and inconvenient as it may feel, it’s important to understand that your home’s purpose is no longer to support your family’s lifestyle. You and your home are parting ways, and it’s time for your house to get all dressed up and ready for a few blind dates.
Stage It Right
When it comes to selling your home, remember that the house is the main attraction, not what’s in it. That means doing all you can to depersonalize and de-clutter your space—removing family pictures and other personal items helps potential buyers imagine themselves living there. If you have rooms that do double or triple duty (a home office/guest room/play room), focus on one purpose for each room to highlight the space. Consider putting your things in storage to better highlight the strengths of your home.
Whatever your situation, Mansion Hill Custom Floors offers many hardwood flooring options and floor-care options to get your home ready for the big sell. Contact us to see how we can help get you the most value out of your home.
