Selling a home can be stressful, especially while you’re waiting to see if the next potential buyer to walk in your home will make an offer. However, local real estate agents MaryEllen Ellwood of Century 21 Albertson Realty and Kristen Riche, of North Fork Real Estate say there are a few, simple things that you can do that will help your home sell faster.
Fresh Paint
Both Ellwood and Riche say that a fresh coat of paint will go a long way when gearing up to sell your home, especially if your walls are full of color or covered in old wallpaper.
“You will want to take down wallpaper and paint a neutral color on all the walls in your home,” said Ellwood. “Buyers want to see themselves in the house, not your bright blues and oranges.”
Scrub Scrub and Scrub Some More
A clean house can make a big difference, said Ellwood, who recommends scrubbing everything, right down to the windows.
Riche agreed, adding that sellers should scrub grout and even consider re-grouting so their bathroom grout is pearly-white.
“Cleaning the grout will absolutely make your home sell faster,” said Riche.
Remove Odors
If you have been smoking in your home, you will want to stop immediately, said Ellwood, explaining that the smell of smoke in a home is a big deterrent. A stench from your pets can discourage buyers from making an offer, she said, adding that pet hair and odor can send a buyer packing, especially if they are allergic to animals. So, she said, it best to freshen up the house and remove any smoke or pet smell.
De-Clutter
Most buyers are looking for large rooms, but even if the rooms in your home aren’t huge, you can make them appear bigger by removing clutter and storing larger pieces of furniture in the basement.
“Eighty-five percent of buyers can’t see the potential in your home while all of your things are inside it so consider packing up your pictures and trophies and putting them in the basement or attic,” said Ellwood.
In addition to de-cluttering walls and rooms, Ellwood said all closets and cabinets should be cleaned out since most all buyers will be looking inside them to see how much space there is inside.
“They are going to open all your closets so you want them to look neat,” she said.
Riche agreed: “Too much stuff detracts from the rooms,” she said.
Easy Access
Most homebuyers will want to take a look at the inner workings of your home, from the burner, to the electrical panel and hot water heater so Ellwood said it is a good idea to make sure there is sufficient lighting and easy access to those items.
Put Down the Toilet Seats
Riche said many would be surprised at what puts buyers off and one of those things is a toilet seat being left up.
“Simply, put them down,” she said.
Also in the bathroom, Ellwood recommended putting away shower caps and other personal items and simply leave out bath towels.
Show Off the Hardwood Floors
Both Riche and Ellwood said that showing off your hardwood floors could help you get your home sold much faster. In fact, Ellwood said she recently sold a home in two weeks after the homeowners pulled up an old carpet to reveal beautiful hardwood floors.
Curb Appeal
Watch any real estate show on HDTV and Ellwood said you will hear the words, “Curb Appeal.” That’s because, she said, it is vital to selling a home.
“If your outside is not kept nice, buyers will assume that the inside is just the same,” she said.
She recommended making sure that the grass is cut, fresh flowers planted and bushes trimmed.
