If you’re someone who is strongly considering putting your house on the market, the news that you’ve read about the real estate market, along with any advice that you may have received from experts in the field, have probably given you the impression that while the market is not as bad as it once was, selling a house can still be a bit of an overwhelming task; especially if you want to be able to make a substantial profit from doing so.
The good news is that there are definitely some things that you can do to make your home appear more appealing; steps that you can take that will actually help to increase your resale value. If you’re curious to know what those things are, check out these five recommendations below:
Hire a house inspector. When people are looking at a home, if they are really interested (and smart about how they spend their money), they will have an inspector come and look at the house. You can spare yourself some potential unforeseen surprises by hiring one yourself before you put it onto the market. That way, if there are renovations that need to be made, it can happen before someone attempts to negotiate for lower than your asking price due to things like a plumbing or electrical issues.
Try a neutral color decor. Staging is a big part of presenting a home to potential buyers. If you ask an interior designer or real estate agent what can help a home to sell quicker, it would be by having a neutral color palate throughout the home. Sure, the bright purple walls with a blue border in your bedroom may cool to look at, but the more work that a buyer thinks they will have to do, they less appealing it will be. The more conservative the interior is, the more money that you can get (and the quicker you can get it) from a potential buyer.
Make it more energy efficient. As the world is becoming more eco-friendly, people are looking for homes that have obvious energy efficient “upgrades” in them. This would include Energy Star appliances, low-flow showerheads and toilets, double-pane windows, a programmable thermostat and well-insulated pipes.
Add some new countertops and cabinets. Most real estate agents will tell you that the first place most people will look at in a home is the kitchen. If you have some modern granite countertops and some cabinets that are made from sustainable materials, you are already well on your way to having potential buyers open to looking through the rest of your home. Plus, of all of the things that we discussed that can improve your resale value, these two would definitely be high on the list.
Have great landscaping. What makes a beautiful home is not just what’s inside of it, but how the outside appears as well. For this reason, you can never go wrong with hiring a professional landscaper to plant a few trees and flowers, nurture your grass (so that it is that bright green hue) and maybe even install some outdoor fountains around the property. After all, a well-manicured lawn is a great “preview” for what else your house may have it offer. It’s a wonderful way to state that it’s worth every penny that you’re asking for…and more.