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Selling a house? Want to move fast? Don’t forget to make a list and check it twice if you want motivated buyers and multiple offers above the asking price. Here’s what to get done before you have your open house.
When you want to sell a house fast, it’s easy to overlook obvious things that in retrospect, could have caused offers to be lower than they might have been. First impressions are everything, so it’s time to take a good hard look at your home and figure out what needs to be done before listing it.
There are a lot of areas often overlooked in a seller’s market because homeowners assume their house will sell no matter what. With housing inventory at a record setting low, your house will probably sell anyway — but isn’t it worth taking a little extra trouble so you can sell it for even more?
First, do a walkaround and look at your home’s exterior from the point of view of a prospective buyer. Curb appeal is important, so think about what you would be looking for if you were seeing your home for the first time. Does the house look cheerful and welcoming? Or dreary and down on its luck?
The front porch is where your open house begins and you only get one chance to make a great first impression. Make sure it’s clean, in good repair, and hopefully sporting a fresh coat of paint. Arrange some flower planters or a rocking chair picturesquely so attendees can imagine themselves enjoying themselves there. Don’t forget to check steps for squeaks and railings for sturdiness. Ensure good lighting in case anyone flips a switch to check.
The backyard should get the same scrutiny and treatment. This is an area often forgotten by homeowners who are more concerned with curb appeal, but a well landscaped backyard can be a welcome surprise for homeowners with pets, kids, or a grilling hobby. Something as simple as a few freshly planted hedges and a paved walkway can make an otherwise dull space seem inviting.
Now review your home from the rafters to the foundation. Don’t stop with a buyer’s perspective; think about what a home inspector will be looking for. Problems with a home can derail a sale, costing you big in terms of lost time and money. Even if you can get an inspection contingency waived, a bad report can lead to buyers trying to get you to knock down the price.
An old roof on a newly purchased house can mean steep home insurance costs for a buyer. Likewise, damage on a roof can mean home inspection woes, and buyers walking away rather than buy knowing they’ll have hefty out-of-pocket costs to replace the roof. While the cost for a new roof can be substantial, this is one time when you may be able to recoup your investments at sale time.
A finished basement can add value to your home. A badly maintained one can drag value down. At minimum, make sure the basement is spotless, safe, and well lit. A few shelves can show that it’s storage ready, and a fresh coat of pain can work wonders. Better yet, put some effort into finishing out the basement and perhaps adding a bathroom and kitchenette to provide more usable space and allow you to bill it as a in-law suite or teenager’s hideaway.
Now it’s time to look at colors, textures, and visuals. Does your home give off a warm, friendly vibe? Or is it cold and sterile? The outside of your home may need some TLC to freshen its look, while the interior can be brought into the modern day by getting rid of outdated decor.
A fresh coat of pain can do wonders for a home, but don’t get too creative with color. For one, if there’s an existing homeowner’s association, you don’t want to run afoul of bylaws. Second, it’s best to paint a more generic picture so potential homebuyers can overlay their own preferences on top of whatever color scheme you choose.If the home is older, consider investing in siding as a great update; you can increase the home value and might even make the money back in the current seller’s market.
Inside, look at walls, floors, ceilings. Walls can be painted following the same approach used with the exterior – keep colors muted and open to interpretation. The same goes for flooring; muted wood or soft, neutral carpets can provide an update that can be accented however a new homeowner sees fit. If your home boasts the dreaded popcorn ceilings consider having them redone professionally for a modern update.
Get bid wins when you address much needed updates in these three areas of your home before putting it on the market! People shop for a home they can see themselves spending time in, and these rooms or prime locations for everyday activities.
The bedroom can be one of the most fun places in your home to decorate. It’s a deeply personal and intimate space, so you may have pulled out all the stops and gone for a novel paint color or at least an accent wall. However, your idea of a love-nest or personal retreat may not be everyone’s cup of tea, so you may need to dial back the vibe and take the boudoir back down to a more neutral color scheme for your home sale.
Bathrooms are one of the first stops many prospects make at an open house. Everyone wants to know how many there are, where they are located, and how much space they boast as well as whether or not the amenities date in the most recent century. Spending the money to update an old bathroom or expand a small one can really pay off when it comes to attracting buyers who may have this as a make-or-break on their personal checklist.
Question: how many home showings stop at the kitchen entry and don’t proceed further? Answer: a lot of them. Kitchens can quickly seal or kill a deal, making this one room you absolutely have to look at with a critical eye. If you can’t afford a complete redo, consider finding less expensive ways to update and upgrade; a new refrigerator and some fresh stain and hardware on the cabinet doors can help a lot. Consider adding a garbage disposal to an otherwise modernized kitchen, or replacing a stove hood with a shiny new one to attract attention away from the fact that the stove itself is a few years old.
Whether you’re selling a house you’ve lived in for years, or more recently purchased a home and are wondering how to sell a home fast and cash in on peak home prices, these tips can help you get the most offers and the best price.
At Sammamish Mortgage, we make homebuying easy. Once you’ve secured your perfect home and obtained the mortgage you need to make your home purchase happen, we continue to support you throughout your homeownership journey with helpful blogs like this one.
Sammamish Mortgage has been in business since 1992, and has assisted many homebuyers in the Pacific Northwest. If you are looking for mortgage financing in Washington State, we can help you get preapproved. Sammamish Mortgage offers mortgage programs in Colorado, Idaho, Oregon, and Washington.
Contact a loan officer if you have any mortgage-related questions or concerns. If you are ready to move forward, you can view rates, obtain a customized instant rate quote, or apply instantly directly from our website.
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