Being a real estate investor and past owner of a home inspection company allowed me the opportunity to work with thousands of buyers and sellers. I could tell by the persons response as they entered a property whether they were uneasy or confident in their decision. So before you start the process of selling your house lets start with a few things you can do to get the house ready.
The best advice I can give is to remember this adage: The first thing people see is what they think they will continue to get.
First impressions are hard to forget
First of all, if they pull up and see an unmaintained and messy yard, they will automatically think the house itself is not maintained. If the front entrance is dirty and worn, they will assume the rest of the house is the same. If they walk in and see an ugly flooring, stained ceilings and holes in the walls you have probably lost them, even if you have a beautiful remodeled kitchen or bathroom.
So make sure your first impression wows them, because you probably wont get a second chance.
Selling your house? Start with the things you can afford.
- Simple lawn work with basic landscaping and some cheap flowering plants will give it the all important curb appeal.
- Pressure washing the driveway, sidewalks, gutters, roof and exterior is cheap and it’s amazing how better things look when their clean.
- Simple repair work and clean the most obvious areas of the house that a potential buyer will look at first – floors, doors, walls, ceilings, lights, cabinets, fixtures and appliances. If they can see a problem, it may be what they remember most.
Selling your house? Don’t forget to Kiss it.
Remember Kiss? No not the band, the acronym: Keep it Simple Stupid.
You really can’t restore the entire house so just do the things you are capable of. Buyers typically will want their own wall designs, type of flooring, exterior colors and the kitchen, master bedroom and bathroom is the first area that they will want to personalize.
So don’t waste money on expensive paint jobs and remodel work that will only appeal to you.
You make it presentable and let your house and the neighborhood do the rest.