10 Makeover Ideas To Have Your House Show Its Best Compliments of Victoria Carter Cell: 647-669-8425
www.TwoMoveYou.com
Steps To Make A Great Impression
Hi, my name is Victoria Carter, and I am a Top Agent in Durham Region. I have helped many people buy and sell property in the area and have accumulated a lot of knowledge on what sellers can do to make MORE money on their house by doing a few simple things before putting it on the market.
Studies have shown, that it usually takes a buyer only seven seconds to decide if they are going to buy a house once they set foot in it! This is why it is crucial for you to make a great impression with your home, and for you to be acquainted with this list of tips to help you get the most money possible for your home.
If you have any questions, or if you would like me to drop by your home and give you a personalized, detailed list of what you should do in YOUR home, then please don’t hesitate to call me at 647-669-8425.
www.TwoMoveYou.com
Declutter!
Once your home is for sale, it will become commodity that will require constant attention. Make sure you always put your stuff away. Even better, put away or pack up the things you don’t need while your home is for sale. This means getting rid of “stuff” in the front yard, back yard, hallway and basement. Studies have shown that people perceive clutter as being indicative of a property that is not worth much money. They also associate it with being dirty and in the presence of bugs.
Get rid of ashtrays and signs of smoke. People consider houses that have been smoked in to be less desirable and also smelly. The smell of smoke will automatically lessen the value.
Tidy up your yard. This includes putting away all things like broken garden hoses, old equipment and bicycles. It also includes raking leaves or shoveling snow.
Clear off your countertops. Even things you are actively using should be stored out of sight before a house showing. This means clearing your kitchen counter of most things that takes up counter space.
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Update Your Kitchen And Bathroom
The kitchen and bathroom are what sell your house! On the previous page we talked about clearing off all countertops. You want your kitchen and bathroom countertops to shine and sparkle!
Change your old faucets for clean and contemporary ones.
Replace or upgrade your showerhead.
Arrange your towels, shampoos and soaps to not look cluttery.
Fix or update your kitchen backsplash.
Fix any cracks in your ceramic tiles.
Re-caulk your kitchen and bathroom to give a clean, streamlined look.
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Replace Your Lighting Fixtures
If you still have builder lighting fixtures, or if you have lighting fixtures that look old and outdated, go and replace a few of them with more updated ones. This step is really worth them money as lighting fixtures can really make a house seem more valuable and contemporary.
If your lighting fixtures do not need replacing, then still take them all down to CLEAN THEM. Also, while you are up on the ladder, temporarily change all of your light bulbs to 100 watts to give a nice bright open feel to your house. A bright house feels like a bigger and cleaner house!
You may even want to consider making a few more upgrades such as changing all of the light switch and electrical plates to designer ones.
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Update With Paint
Many buyers are turned off by dark colors in a room because it gives the impression that a “room is too small”, or that the room “seems cluttered.” If you have an overbearing amount of dark walls, it would be a great idea to paint them a light, neutral color to give the open, airy, clean feeling to your home.
If you have any walls that are scratched up or in need of touchups, you should paint it, as it will go a long way in making your home look more valuable. Unless you want your house to be perceived as a “fixer upper”, then you should also attempt to plaster any holes, and redo trim on the baseboards.
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Create Order In The Kids Room
You want to have potential buyers see how GREAT your house is, and that they can picture having the ideal family life in your home. If you have kids, make sure that their rooms are spotless and orderly.
Get rid of strollers on the porch, inflatable kiddy pools in the back yard and any toys that may be lying around in the hallway. Everything should be put away and out of sight where possible.
Get rid of baby gates and make sure there are no handprints or crayon drawings on the wall. Reports show that baby gates make the homebuyer subliminally think that the house doesn’t “flow” easily.
Studies have also shown that homes that have kid’s stuff strewn about are considered to be less hygienic or valuable than those that don’t.
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Hide Evidence Of Pets
Unfortunately, some houses with pets are considered less desirable than others with no pets. There are a number of reasons for that including smells convincing buyers that there are allergens, mites, hair, etc. in the house.
The best thing to do is to make arrangements for your pet to be away for the day or week while you are selling your home.
Hide the litter box, and put away animal toys.
Pick up any dog feces in the yard.
If your pet must be home, make arrangements that the animal is crated, or taken for a walk at showing times.
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Attention To Curb Appeal
The first thing that your buyers are going to see is your front yard, and this is where you will need to make the best first impression.
Make sure that your grass is cut, or that your snow has been shoveled.
Add a few decorative trees and plants to your front lawn, or to your porch area but be careful not to clutter any area.
Perhaps add a new coat of paint to the front door, or paint the window trims. You may even consider changing the house number plates, or replace the outdoor light fixtures.
You should also get rid of dead trees or bushes that may be on the property. People don’t want to purchase a house that looks too difficult to manage.
Fix any sunken stones or replace missing rocks. Also, get rid of any weeds that appear between the stones to give a clean, welcoming vibe to your buyer.
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Streamline and Sophisticate ď ľ
Remember your house is now a commodity once it hits the market. Think of your house as a showroom. Walk though the front door and then walk through your entire house keeping in mind that there should be enough space for you to walk into each room without bumping into things.
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Once you have streamlined the house, then you can ADD a few designer or sophisticated touches to the room, to make it feel more like a showpiece. For example, you can put up a really great piece of artwork, borrow an amazing mirror from a friend to put into your hallway, add a bamboo display to place in your bathroom, add flowers in a vase for your kitchen table. Simplicity is the key.
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Make Your House Smell Good
Many people say that a house that smells clean MUST be clean!
The most important thing to remember with scent in your house is to not be overwhelming. Many times, when I walk in a home with my clients, I hear the buyer say something about the smell, either good or bad. For example, my clients would say “I wonder what the seller is trying to hide with that strong smell”, or “A certain person must live here”, or “I will never be able to get that smell out!”, or “I smell an animal … I need to replace all of the carpets!”
I wouldn’t suggest having burning candles on while you have buyers walking through your home. It is dangerous and usually only makes the buyer think you are disguising another smell.
Good smells that are not overwhelming include vanilla, cinnamon, apple, pineapple, mango, and linen.
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Hire A Home Stager and Cleaner
If you have the money to invest in preparing your home for sale, you can also hire a professional stager to stage your home for you. Many stagers will rent furniture and accessories to make your house look its best! A home stager could also give you some great ideas on what you need to do to make your home the most attractive to buyers.
You should also consider hiring a professional company to clean your windows, both inside and out.
Lastly, you should also invest some money into hiring a professional cleaner to come in and clean all of your baseboards, kitchen and bathrooms.
As your professional Realtor, I have a team of stagers, window cleaners, and home cleaners that I like to recommend to my clients. Please contact me at 647-669-8425 to find out more.
www.TwoMoveYou.com
Hire Me To Be YOUR Personal and Professional Realtor I hope that you have found some of these tips on how to get you the most money when selling your home, useful. I have plenty of experience and I have been in THOUSANDS of homes and can definitely give you a more personalized list of things to do to get YOUR home ready for the market. Again, my name is Victoria Carter, and I can be reached at 647-669-8425. www.TwoMoveYou.com
victoria.carter@century21.ca Century 21 Percy Fulton Ltd., Brokerage, 905-683-2100 Thanks and I look forward to hearing from you! www.TwoMoveYou.com