The thought of selling your house may make you very nervous because of the large amount of money involved and the hassle of moving.
Almost everyone wants to sell their house fast and get the most money possible.
Here are a few improvements that you can do to your home in order to sell your home faster and for more money.
photo courtesy of DanielSTL flickr.com/photos/danielsphotography/4035948067/Curb Appeal
People will not even get out of their cars to view the inside of your home if it does not look appealing from the outside.
Make sure your grass is mowed, there are no weeds in your flower beds, hedges are trimmed, gutters are clear, and that all of the kids' toys are picked up.
Your trash cans need to be out of sight.
Add some colorful flowers to your flowerbeds for interest and charm.
Pressure wash your house, driveway, and sidewalks to make everything look very clean.
If your home has siding, you might appreciate the article How to Quickly and Easily Clean Siding without any Special Tools.
You need to not only be concerned with your property, but also your neighbors' properties and the neighborhood as a whole.
If your neighbors do not keep their lawn mowed, then offer to do it for them until your home sells.
If there is trash in the community areas of your neighborhood, spend a few hours picking it up.
If your home needs a new paint job, then tackle that project.
Consider adding outdoor lighting to emphasize your home, make it appear more safe (especially in the winter when it gets darker sooner), and to show off the for sale sign.
Install an updated doorbell #ad, a nice welcome mat, and a colorful potted plant on the front porch since potential buyers will spend about 1 minute there while the realtor attempts to unlock the door.
Maintenance
You need to make sure all of the little maintenance projects that you have been putting off are complete before showing your home.
If little things are left undone, then potential buyers will feel that the home was not cared for and there are probably bigger problems.
One simple maintenance item that is often overlooked is to ensure that none of your light fixtures have any burnt out light bulbs. Also try to make sure that light fixtures with multiple bulbs have the exact same bulb in each socket, not different wattages, colors (warm or cool), or shapes.
Also make sure to change your air conditioner filters #ad.
Declutter
The most cost effective thing that you can do when selling your home is to declutter.
Clutter causes a house to feel smaller and make it seem like there is not enough storage space.
Stash boxes of unnecessary items under your bed, in the trunk of your car, in the attic (organized nicely), in a storage unit, and at your parents' house.
Get rid of smaller pieces of furniture that can also look cluttered and keep only the larger basic pieces.
Remove most of the kids toys and a lot of your decorative accessories.
There should be no magnets on your refrigerator since they make a kitchen feel messy.
Don't forget about cleaning out your closets - every single one.
Consider removing half of your clothes from your primary bedroom closet to make it appear like there is so much space that you can't even fill it.
Take a photo with your cell phone of each room standing at the doorway. Look at the small photo on your phone and notice any areas where items are so small that you can't figure out what the item is, then remove that item that seems like it is clutter.
After you have finished decluttering, do it again.
Deep Clean
Make your home look like it is brand new. Steam clean your carpets #ad. Deep clean your tile grout. Remove ash from your fireplace. Wash your windows. Clean your oven #ad.
Ensure that there are no odors from cigarette smoke, pets, the bathroom, or any other source. An air purifier #ad will keep your inside air smelling fresh and reduce the allergens in your home that may negatively affect potential buyers.
You may wish to continually run your air conditioner's fan to distribute air throughout the house so it doesn't feel stale and/or bake some cookies prior to expecting potential buyers to make the home smell nice.
Depersonalize
To appeal to the most buyers, remove as many personal items as possible.
Personal items include family photos, religious items, bold and bright colors, taxidermy, excessive items relating to a hobby, and other items that may not appeal to the masses.
Pets
Many people love their pets, but may not love your pet.
Instead of keeping your pets in a cage or locked in a room while potential buyers are viewing your home, take your pets with you.
Also remove all clues that a pet lives in the home - such as water bowls, cages, and pet toys.
Many people assume that pets have damaged a home somewhere or soiled the carpets so the carpets need replacing.
Light
Light in a room makes it feel more welcoming and larger.
When expecting a potential buyer, turn on all the lights in your home and open your window blinds and curtains to let the most light into your home.
If you have a bad view outside one of your windows, add sheer curtains #ad in front of the window to let the light in but disguise the view. Also consider adding landscaping to that area so the view is greenery instead of whatever you are trying to hide.
Home Staging
Home staging is preparing a home to appeal to the most buyers.
It can make your home stand out from other similar homes in the same area, thus selling it faster
Staging typically consists of adding or removing furniture and accessories or minor home improvements.
Staged homes almost always sell for more money than unstaged homes.
Consider hiring a professional home stager to make your home look its best for potential buyers.
You might want to read the article Home Staging Tips to Sell Your House Fast.
