6 PROVEN WAYS TO INCREASE THE RESALE VALUE OF YOUR HOME
Little things mean a lot when it comes to selling your home and getting a great price for it. But if everything counts and you have only so much time and money to invest, how do you know where to start to get your home for-sale ready and to fetch the best price? Here are a few strategies:
1. Stage and declutter your home
Do all the work necessary to make your property look good, not through expensive changes but through excellent staging. That means clearing out your clutter.
2. Clean it up!
If it’s dirty, it will not sell — even if it’s a great place. In fact, most of the agents focus on overall cleanliness and space as the biggest factor in selling your home. And cleanliness pays off, according to Consumer Reports: cleaning can deliver a 3% to 5% return on investment, and this is something you can do yourself.
When showing your home, raise window blinds, lower toilet seats — make sure the place looks at least as good as it would if you were having your boss over for dinner.
3. Enhance your curb appeal
First impressions sell your home. As soon as a potential buyer drives up to your house, they’re making judgments — and a messy yard or a broken mailbox could cost you.
Make it look nice from the curb with some easy potted or planted flowers to trim the walkway.
4. Pay attention to details
The details that you may believe are insignificant can turn out to be major selling points for your home. That includes everything from paint touch-ups throughout the house to a full redo of public rooms.
Wash your windows, replace compact fluorescent bulbs with incandescent or halogen, and remove or minimize personal photographs.
5. Refresh your kitchen and bath
Don’t forget two of the most important rooms in your home: the kitchen and bathroom. Consumer Reports estimates that you can increase your home’s value by as much as 7% through renovation.
If you don’t have renovations in your budget, fresh paint, a low-hanging opportunity to freshen up your space and potentially boost your asking price.
Choose a neutral palette to increase the appeal to as many tastes as possible; buyers need to be able to easily visualize themselves living in the home, and bright colors might turn them off.
6. Invest in good photos
Make sure your real estate agent offers great photos that show your home in its best light when it comes time to list. Homebuyers seeking a new place to live will see the pictures online before ever making a decision to visit.
REFERENCE: Trulia Blog
