The agents and brokers at American Heritage Realty understand that selling your home is stressful. Even with a checklist, it seems overwhelming because there are many things to do. As agents who help clients buy and sell their homes, we see a lot of homes. Trust us; our agents see hundreds of homes every single year.
There are a couple of things that many people forget to do when they are selling their homes. You would be surprised how these little details can make a big difference in the appearance of your home. The following tips make your home much more attractive to potential buyers. If you need a more extensive checklist, check out this great resource.
Tip 1: Declutter Your Space
As you prepare to put your house on the market, decluttering your space seems like a no-brainer. Decluttering doesn’t mean shoving everything into your closets! The closets and smaller rooms in your home are where you want to spend your time. Decluttering the small spaces in your home is how you will make your home look larger. Decluttering is also the perfect time to do some organization and consolidation. If you have lived in your home for many years, you have probably accumulated many random small items. These items may need to be recycled, thrown away or given away to organizations such as Goodwill. Moving is the perfect reason to go through old boxes you said you would go through for years. If you are having a showing or having photos taken, make sure to take the time to declutter before selling your home!
Tip 2: Clean Your Windows
One thing that many sellers forget to do when preparing their home is wiping down the inside and outside of their windows. Between wet dog nose marks and children’s handprints, windows can get smudged quickly. With everything going on, many people forget to wipe down the inside and outside their windows. Ensuring that the window panes are clean is one way to make your home look well cared for. While cleaning the windows, don’t forget to wipe down the window seals. You would be surprised how easily dust accumulates on window seals all-around your home. One tip we have for cleaning your windows is using newspaper. Using newspapers to wipe off the window cleans ensures that you get the cleanest window possible, with no annoying streaks or paper towel particles left over.
Tip 3: Change Your Lightbulbs
Make sure that your home is well lit. Something our realtors see in many homes is the lack of good lighting. When you are getting photos taken of your home, having the brightest lighting possible will make your own seem brighter and newer. Improving the lighting doesn’t mean you need to go out and buy new light fixtures. Instead, invest in some bright light lightbulbs. Switch out your warm lighting with bright light to give your own the appearance of being well lit. Buying new lightbulbs is especially helpful in darker spaces in your home, such as closets or rooms with small exterior windows. Changing the light bulbs is one of our favorite suggestions for our sellers. This small change makes a huge difference when you are selling your home.
Tip 4: Depersonalize Your Home
Another tip we give to our clients is to depersonalize your home. We know that this may be a complex process, but while you are decluttering your home, it is time to depersonalize your space. When it comes time to show your home or host an open house, the area needs to feel welcoming. People looking to buy homes don’t feel connected to a home when it feels like someone else’s space. The goal when depersonalizing your home is to make it feel move it is ready. It means taking down picture frames, unique knickknacks and anything with your family’s name on it. You want people who are touring to see themselves living in the space, which is hard to do when it feels like someone else’s home. While you probably love your collection of beanie babies, that doesn’t mean the people touring your home will as well.
Tip 5: Clean or Repaint Baseboards/Trim
There are so many more tips we could give you, but we have one final suggestion. Our last advice is to spend some time working on the baseboard and trim around your home. Cleaning your baseboards is essential to making your home appear well cleaned. We suggest spending some time cleaning your baseboards and trim to everyone, but if your trim and baseboards are white, this is something that you cannot forget. Remember that the small details you forget about while living in your home tend to be the things those potential buyers are looking for. So, that buildup of dust or black scuffs can change a potential buyer’s opinion of your home. A simple wipe down of all your baseboards and trim around doorways and windows is usually sufficient, but common areas such as the living room or kitchen may need a quick layer of paint. Ensuring that your trim and baseboards are sparkling makes everything look clean and dust-free when selling your home.
Get More Information
All of these tips are sure to make your home look its best. Here at American Heritage Realty, we love to ensure that our sellers’ homes are picture-perfect. We have more tips and tricks for buyers and sellers on our blog. If you are looking for a realtor in East Central Indiana, meet our exceptional realtors and available homes. If you are new to the area and want to learn more about the counties we serve, click here.