5 Must-Know Tips to Get Your Home Ready to Sell
So, you think you’re ready to sell your NYC property? Or maybe, your home is already on the market and you are getting frustrated that the process has been taking longer than you had hoped for. When sellers are getting their homes ready, making sure they are in tip-top shape for selling, sometimes they overlook certain details that can unfortunately really make or break their sale. (You’d be surprised, people really can forget the most obvious of things! But we’re not going to let that happen to you too, so read on.)
Before you go and blame your agent for your home not selling so quickly, consider these top 5 must-know tips that will help put the finishing touches on your place to make it extra-sellable!
1) Let There Be Light!
I can’t emphasize the power of good lighting enough. Your home may feature the latest in state-of-the-art design, appliances, home decor…but if buyers can’t see your place clearly, well, you just may have a problem selling it, capiche? This is easy, people! Purchase more light bulbs and bring as much light into your home as possible. It will visually open up your space, as well as enhance its aesthetics and ambiance, highlighting the beauty of your home, and create a warm and inviting environment. Good lighting can even make your place feel more cozy, helping potential buyers visualize being in your space with their families.
You may consider how you can bring more natural light into your home, install additional light fixtures in certain rooms, or simply update your light bulbs with bulbs that have stronger wattage and a more intense brightness. Ensuring that your home is properly lit during your showings may make all the difference in helping you sell your place.
2. Deep Clean and Declutter
Deep clean and declutter your space. Let’s refer to our old friend, Marie Kondo for this one and take a page out of her book. Clutter in a home has the potential to not only be the thief of happiness, balance and internal peace — it may also be sabotaging the sale of your home! Repeat after me, clutter eats equity. It can unfortunately make an otherwise beautiful space, feel less-so, giving the impression that your home is less stylish as well as not as polished and put-together. It can even detract from the space in your home, making it feel visually smaller and ultimately can really undermine the value of your property.
So, make sure that your apartment is tidied up and freed of the clutter. Have a heart to heart with yourself and consider the items that you can let go of and get rid of them. Put the rest into storage. Do what you need to do to create a more appealing space for potential buyers — one in which they can envision themselves being there with their families probably doesn’t involve your clutter…Let’s put it this way. If the clutter in your home is not giving you joy, it certainly won’t give buyers any joy either!
3. Touch Up and Go
After living in a home for many years, it’s only natural that it will start to show some wear and tear with cracks in the paint off marks on the walls. And, yes every home has let’s say, some character, anit may seem petty and trivial to you, but unfortunately those seemingly small imperfections can really be detracting from home, dissuading buyers from [pulling the plug on your place.
It’s important that you give the impression that your home is polished and pristine. Those chips in the paint are simply not doing you any favors . Take a tour of your apartment and get up close and personal with the walls. Maybe, you need to do a paint touch up here and there, fill in cracks and divots in the walls, or clean up fingerprints on doors. Hire a painter if you need to, But again, make sure, those imperfections are taken care of so you are setting your home up for success, with the best chances of being sold and again, at the value that it should be sold for.
4. Depersonalize
So we spoke of the importance of decluttering your home before, but depersonalizing your space somewhat can also be crucial in helping you sell your property. When buyers come to view your apartment, it is vital that they can envision themselves in your place, making a new life for themselves and their families. They simply will not be able to do this as easily if your home still has many personalized elements to it, such as picture frames all over of you and your family. Maybe you have stuffed animals lying around, or your kids’ stuff hanging on the walls, and on the fridge. Sorry to break it to you, but tuck away the studded animals and take the sentimental drawings down. After all, you want potential buyers to be able to visualize their own kids’ sweet creations displayed on the walls of your home!
The more depersonalized and neutralized your home is the better, and the more quickly you will be able to sell. And do you know what could be even more effective in helping you get your house ready to sell, going one step beyond depersonalizing? Staging can help you continue to transform your home into the perfect space to entice sellers.
5. Accommodate Showings
Think of it this way. You’re not going to sell your home unless buyers can see it. When you schedule your showings, consider the schedules of potential buyers and what times may or may not be convenient for them to come view your place. So, 1- 5:30 pm on a Sat or Sun? Sure, that sounds pretty reasonable. Tuesday 9 to 9 30 am? Yea, that’s probably not going to work.
Bonus: Fragrance or lack thereof
Remember, people also look at homes with their noses! So, make sure yours smells just as appealing as it looks. Light some candles or diffuse essential oils to freshen up the place and create a cozy, inviting atmosphere and ambiance for buyers.
Moral of the story? Sellers, it’s not just on us agents. It’s also on you. Do your part!
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