Are you getting your home ready for the spring market? It's going to be a busy season in Roanoke and the surrounding areas, so give me a call if you if you're ready to list and I'll get you all set.
In the meantime, to sell as quickly as possible for the best price, make your home as welcoming to potential homebuyers as possible. To make the most of your time and budget, start by eliminating problems that will send nearly any potential buyer running for the hills.
Poor curb appeal
Spend some time making your home as attractive as possible from the outside. If buyers see a messy yard, peeling paint and overgrown trees, you'll lose them before they even get through your doorway. Clean up the yard, paint if you need to and make your entrance pleasant and welcoming. You want buyers to be impressed as they're getting out of the car, not wondering if they really want to go inside.
Noticeable odors
Every home picks up odors over the years, whether from cooking, pets, tobacco, or even your choice of cleaning products. You probably no longer notice the smell of your own home, but buyers certainly will.
While unpleasant odors are clearly a complete no-no, even more neutral ones can make a bad impression. Solve this problem by having your carpets, upholstery and other soft surfaces professionally cleaned, then scrub and disinfect any other surfaces you can. For really persistent odors, such as tobacco, paint the interior (a good idea anyway), using a primer to prepare the walls before applying color.
Shabbiness and stains
Likewise, over time you may have stopped noticing that parts of your home are looking a little shabby, perhaps in hard-to-reach areas that don't get cleaned as often as you'd like.
Any signs of grime or dirt will be an instant turn-off, along with buildups of dust or cobwebs. Consider paying a professional cleaner to give your home a top-to-bottom clean, as their fresh eye will spot issues you may overlook.
Minor annoyances and disrepair
From loose floorboards to dripping taps, a minor problem that you've gotten used to can soon turn into a powerful deterrent to a buyer. If you haven't attended to these easily fixed problems, the buyer will wonder what far more serious problems might be lying in wait.
Roof problems
No one wants to move into a home with a roof in a poor state of repair. If your roof has serious issues, you'll either need to replace it or offer a hefty price reduction. If the problems are minor, have them repaired by a qualified contractor who has experience in preparing homes for sale.
Outdated appliances and systems
While there's probably no need to install a new top-of-the-line kitchen or heating system, you'll have a problem selling — especially for a good price — if everything is seriously out of date. This includes appliances, HVAC systems, plumbing lines and fixtures and electrical wiring. While some homebuyers are specifically looking for fixer-uppers, most want to move in without having to replace all the core systems right away.
Upgrading what you can will go a long way toward making a good impression. If there are items that you can't or don't want to have replaced, have them professionally serviced and make the report available to the buyer.
Signs of infestation
If you have a basement, attic or crawl space, make sure there are no signs of rodents or other infestations. This is also true for your yard. Call a professional exterminating service to deal with anything you find.
Dated decor
Your home doesn't have to be ready for a magazine spread, but if your home is very old fashioned (and not in a deliberate, stylish way), then consider a basic redecoration to give potential homebuyers a blank slate. Most buyers recognize that something like old wallpaper can be fairly easily fixed, but if it comes down to your home and someone else's, you're better off not to have even small issues on the buyer's mind.
Clutter
Before opening your home to viewers, ruthlessly remove as many ornaments and trinkets as you can. While you don't want to be left with a clinical, empty space, even small amounts of clutter can make a room feel cramped and claustrophobic.
Too many personal items
You may feel that family photographs and other personal items create a homey atmosphere, but leave out too much, and most buyers won't see it that way. They can quickly feel they're encroaching on your space, which naturally makes them uncomfortable and less likely to fall in love with your home. When they're talking about your home later, you want them to say, "You mean, the one with the great light in the kitchen?", not, "You mean, the one with that weird frog collection?"
Selling your home quickly and for a good price can be hard enough, so for the best chance of success, it's best to make sure none of these avoidable problems put extra hurdles in the way of an interested buyer.
To talk more about getting your home ready to list, call me at (540) 353-0123 or email me at sonya@sonyadickinson.com. Browse my listings here and be sure to like my Facebook page.
