Making your home market ready

Selling your home is a big decision. One that’s not always easy to make. But once you’ve made the decision, you want to do everything you can to make sure you get top dollar for your house. Though your final selling price will be primarily determined by market conditions, there are things you can do to ensure a higher sale price. Most of those things have to do with how your house is presented, both inside and out.

Let’s start with the outside, since your house’s exterior appearance will create the all-important first impression.

Buyers are making their first judgments on your home before they even pull in the driveway. At first sight, they’re deciding if they like the exterior color, the lawn, the landscaping, and the deck or pool, if you have one. They’re looking at the condition of your driveway, of the paint, brick, or siding on your home. They’re noticing just about everything – both good and bad.

It’s important to keep your home’s exterior free of clutter. Recreational items like bikes and balls should be neatly stored in the garage. If you have kids, make sure their toys are picked up in both the front and back yards. Keep the lawn, trees, and bushes neatly trimmed. If you have flowers, keep them watered and looking fresh, and do your best to control and eliminate weeds. If you have window shutters, make sure they’re in good condition and are securely fastened. Windows also need to be kept relatively clean.

Flowers are a great way to increase your home’s “curb appeal”. The process can be very simple, and require very little maintenance. Rather than planting flowers in the ground, consider buying flower boxes. Using flower boxes will achieve the same result, but with fewer flowers, and less time spent maintaining what you’ve planted. When picking out flowers, choose bright colors. Marigolds and pansies are excellent choices. They are also easy to care for. Don’t be haphazard about how and where you place the finished flower boxes. Rather, evenly space them along the front of your home, or the deck or patio.

Pay special attention to exterior items such as gutters, trim, and wood. As best you can, replace any wood that’s rotted or rotting. Make sure downspouts are attached and working properly.

Do your best to rid the driveway of grease and oil spills. Dry wood ash is great for this. Pour some over the stain, covering it completely, and leave it for 24 hours. The ash should soak up most of the oil. If that doesn’t work, or if it doesn’t remove all of the stain, try paint thinner. Pour some over the stain, then immediately cover it with cat litter. Give the paint thinner about an hour to dry, and then sweep the whole thing up. The stain should be gone. Repeat the same process on sidewalks and patios.

After a potential buyer has driven up to your home and scouted out the general exterior, he’ll want to go inside. It’s important that the entryway to your home is in excellent condition. Check the wood trim and wrought iron. Polish any brass door handles or trim. Make sure glass is clean. If you have a screen door, make sure the screen is in good condition. Check the door bell, and be sure it’s working properly. If it isn’t, get it replaced.

When buyers look at your house, the only thing they’re really trying to determine is whether or not your house can be their home. They’ll look at the way your house is decorated, how spacious it is, and how much work it will take to make it theirs. To help potential buyers envision themselves in your house, you need to make your house as neutral and “anonymous” as possible.

Neutral colors are important. Especially on the walls. Though colorful interior paints have become more and more popular over the years, they’re a detriment when selling a house. When potential buyers view houses, they’re not only interested in the floor plan and number of bedrooms, but also how compatible the house is with their furniture and other decorations. Most people want a house that requires minimal re-painting and re-decorating. This means that the orange wall in your living room, as cool as it is, has to go! Paint over bright or unique colors with either a white or light beige. If you have wallpaper, get rid of it. Yes, it’s hard work, which is exactly why it’s such a detriment when selling your house. Also consider getting your carpets steam-cleaned and wood floors polished.

Make sure that the mechanics of your home are in good worker order. Check light switches, outlets, appliances, etc. If switch or outlet plates are chipped or discolored, replace them. You can get plain, inexpensive plates at any Home Depot-type store.

Remove as many personal items as you can. Family photos, collectables, and knick-knacks make your house personal, which is great when you’re living there, but can be a hindrance when you’re trying to sell. You want potential buyers to walk through your house and think of it as their home. That’s hard for them to do if you have your daughter’s graduation picture hanging up in the living room.

Get rid of as much clutter as possible. And be willing to expand your definition of “clutter”. Most of the things in your home are important to you, that’s why you have them. But try to look at your house from a buyer’s perspective. Most people want a home with space. The more stuff you have in your house, the less space potential buyers see. The less space, the less appealing. Believe it or not, clutter can include furniture. Consider storing some of your less-used pieces of furniture while your house is on the market. Remember, the more space, the more appealing.

If you’re not sure where to start, or what to do, talk to your real estate agent about hiring someone to professionally “stage” your home. Home stagers are becoming an increasingly popular resource for real estate agents and sellers. A home stager will come into your house and evaluate the best ways to make the best possible impression on potential buyers.

The level of service provided by home stagers varies. Some will simply come into your house and help you effectively remove all the clutter. They’ll suggest ways to open the rooms up and make them appear more spacious. They’ll re-arrange your existing furniture and may even suggest storing some of your furniture. They can even help you figure out what to do with parts of the house that, typically, are especially cluttered – like kitchens and bathrooms. Other home stagers will bring in rented furniture, especially for deck and pool areas, or to help break up especially large rooms like finished basements.

As you’d expect, fees vary with level of service. So get estimates from several home stagers before making a final decision. Ask for referrals from friends and from your real estate agent. Though it is an additional cost when preparing to sell your house, the result should be a higher asking price. You and your agent will need to determine if professional staging will increase your marketable price enough to make the staging cost worthwhile. Typically, the higher your asking price, the higher the staging cost. So if your home is in a higher end price range, be prepared.

As with anything real estate related, talk to your agent. Walk through your home with your agent, and ask for suggestions on how to make it market-ready. He or she is in the business of professionally and successfully marketing homes.