If you are interested in selling your home you’ve probably come across more than a few articles about how to spruce your home up for sale. But beyond the basics of cleaning up the clutter what can you do to make a difference without spending a lot of money? We rounded up tips from some of the experienced Realtors who answer questions in our Advice Section.
Throw Out The Welcome Mat, Literally
Many Realtors recommend buying a new welcome mat as a way to spruce up a home. A fresh coat of paint and flowers by the door also make a nice impression. The door should be freshly cleaned or freshly painted. Realtor Sam DeBord of Coldwell Banker Danforth in Seattle, Washington advises that potential sellers pay special attention to the front door. He advises that a new handleset/lockset on the front door, a new light over or adjacent to the front door, and new contemporary street numbers near the front door are all great ways to add appeal without spending a lot. To make your front door really pop, try a new color. Denise Shur of 1:1 Realty in San Jose, California suggests using a color wheel to check to see if your door color goes well with your home’s paint scheme: “You want to use colors that are in the color spectrum on the opposite side of the color of your home.”
Also consider the way that potential buyers walk up. “Add a stone walkway or path leading to the house, or define with plants or flowers,” says Phyllis Harb of Prudential CA Realty in La Canada, California. David Welch of RE/MAX 200 Realty advises pressure cleaning the sidewalk and front porch: “Your homes first impression is the most important in getting it sold.”
Light and Bright
Making a home appear large and full of beautiful light is one of the easiest ways to add appeal to a home. Realtor Teri Andrews Murch of Lyon Real Estate in Auburn, California recommends giving windows a thorough washing inside and out and also adding sheers if you have heavy drapes. “Pull open drapes for showings, the home will be lighter,” says Murch. “Inexpensive sheers can be found at places like Target, Ross, K-Mart and best prices at JC Penny clearances, I’ve gotten sheers for less than $5 a pair.” She also suggests changing out light bulbs to incandescent and going for the maximum wattage in the fixture: “The fluorescents take too long to brighten up and buyers have moved on by then.” And while you are changing those light bulbs, you might also want to make sure that the switch plate covers match the outlets (white on white, beige on beige, etc.) and are intact. “It is one of those subconscious things that you see that influence your perception of property condition,” says Murch.
Spruce Up The Heart Of The Home
“Kitchens sell homes,”says Carrie Abfall of RE/MAX Real Estate Professionals in Columbus, Indiana. She advises knob changes or a new faucet to help make an older kitchen look more up to date. Abfall also recommends giving your fireplace a little love and offers a quick DIY solution: “With just a few hours, a can of oil based paint, and some trim – and you can have a mini-makeover. Above your fireplace mantel, create a square with three pieces of chair rail trim-tying them into the mantel. Miter cuts are fab, but if you don’t have a miter saw, square cuts are fine too. Paint the newly added “frame” above your mantel and paint the inside of the frame the same wood color and same paint (preferably white – same as your woodworks). It gives buyers a wow when they walk in the room and it’s an easy $50 project that can give 10x in appeal!”
Don’t Forget The Garage
Potential buyers look everywhere including the garage. Laurie Davis of Keller Williams Realty in Pinehurst, North Carolina has a great suggestion for making your garage more appealing: :First clean it up, Then go to your local home improvement and pick up an epoxy floor kit, some wall paint if you have finished walls and sheets of peg board for organizing. A little elbow grease can turn your garage into a space you will want to use or give you an extra edge if you are trying to sell.”
REALTOR.COM
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