Although the recent real estate market was a seller’s market, this trend seems to be cooling off over most of the country. Currently, markets are either at a stalemate, neither strongly a seller’s nor a buyer’s market. Or they are switching over to a buyer’s market. There are still a few strong seller’s markets across the country which include Davenport, Iowa, Montgomery, Alabama, and Witchita, Kansas, to name a few. Although being in a seller’s market does improve the chances of your home selling and even going into bidding wars, you shouldn’t rely on the market only to sell your home. You will still need to do your due diligence and prep your house for sale to attract buyers. Here are some tips on ensuring your house appeals to those buying a home, regardless of the market status.
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View Your Home in “3D”
Where do you start when you’re ready to put your house on the market? If you plan to sell your house to a cash home buyer, you don’t have to prep your house. But if you sell your home the traditional route, It is a good idea to start with the 3 D’s: decluttering, depersonalizing, and deep cleaning. Remember, your house will soon be in the hands of a new owner. So make it appealing to them.
The first way is by decluttering. This is the process of removing excess furniture in your home and only leaving behind essential pieces in each room. For instance, if you’re decorating the living room, try to leave behind a couch, chairs, loveseats, tables, lamps, and other such essentials.
Next up: depersonalize. Remove distractions like family photos, televisions, and other unnecessary nick knacks. This keeps potential buyers focused on the issue at hand – homebuying – and keeps them from snooping on your items.
Finally, make sure you deep clean. If necessary, hire a cleaning company to help with this part of the 3D process.
Make Sure the Exterior is Spotless
Although clever mantras exist, like “Never judge a book by its cover,” the reality is we all judge things at first sight. This is certainly true when it comes to the exterior of the house. So make sure this part of the house is clean and inviting.
Let In The Light
When prepping your house for sale to attract buyers, focus on what’s not so obvious. One of those things is lighting. Most buyers will probably observe your home during daylight hours. So, make sure that you allow them to see how much natural light your house provides. Remove window treatments like draperies to let in the most light.
Don’t forget about potential buyers who may visit your house after sunset. Brighten your home with quality lighting, and make sure the light switches work correctly. Also, make sure outdoor lighting is optimal.
Eliminate House Odors
Another not-so-obvious thing you should focus on when prepping your house is odors. You may have been in your home so long that you don’t realize there are unusual smells. But potential buyers will. Deep cleaning will eliminate most odors. But also try to make sure vents blow out fresh scents when in use. This may require you to get an air vent cleaning company to remove the dust, cobwebs, and other dirt that has accumulated in your vents.
If you have carpets, make sure you replace them or at least deep clean them. This material can trap many unpleasant smells that could turn off potential buyers.
Bonus Tip – See Your House Through the Eyes of an Inspector
When prepping your home to sell, don’t just look at the surface. Act as if you were doing a home inspection and look for problems a home inspector will be looking for. These include water damage, issues with HVAC, plumbing problems, and electrical issues.
Whether in a market that favors you or not, you should always strive to ensure your house looks its best. Keep these tips in mind, and you’ll be sure to impress.
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