Home Projects to Tackle Before You Put Your House on the Market
Thinking of putting your home up on the market? If so, there are several steps you should take beforehand. The right prep work can make your sales process fast and lucrative. Ideally, you’ll make a great impression right away, get plenty of tours, and have your pick of offers in short order.
The first step to making this happen is finding the right real estate agent. With a trusted agent by your side, you can better access the buyers who might be the right fit for your property. Next, Bay Area Housing Trends suggests you consider tackling some of these projects, all of which are likely to help buyers fall for your house:
Create an Accent Wall
Some sellers worry that the main spaces in their homes are too drab. If you’re worried that a room or space doesn’t stand out, creating an accent wall is a simple and attractive way to give it a boost. There are several approaches to this. For example, you can paint it a bright or bold shade for a pop of color. You could also use wallpaper with an interesting pattern or design.
Whichever route you go, however, be mindful of getting too stylized. Depersonalization is one of the core elements of a well-staged house. Decor should always be attractive, but neutral enough that it could fit most peoples’ style. Use popular accent colors or simple, traditional patterns in order to make sure your accent wall has broad appeal. You can even opt for stick-on wallpaper with water-activated adhesive that’s easy to remove and reinstall to accommodate potential buyers’ preferences.
Up Your Landscaping Game
Curb appeal, or how your property looks from the street, is a vital and often overlooked element of selling your home quickly. After all, your facade isn’t only important to passersby — anyone who comes to tour or even views your property online will have it as their very first impression of your property. The right landscaping can make sure it’s a good one.
As a bare minimum, make sure your lawn is well kept and free of debris. If you have flowerbeds, plant some attractive blooms; consider consulting a landscaping pro for design tips. Remember, it’s always best to pick flowers that are seasonally appropriate and suited to your climate. Not only will they be easier to care for, but they’ll also be more likely to thrive and look great whenever people come to tour.
Fix the “Little Issues”
Every homeowner has a list of little problems around the house that they’ve been meaning to get around to, often for years. These are usually minor aesthetic repairs that don’t necessarily need much time or skill but, for whatever reason, have managed to slip by. Although these may not get in the way of living in your home, they will get in the way of selling it. Little issues like misaligned doors, sticky drawers, and cracked windows can leave you with far fewer offers and little competition.
This means that the days of “getting around to it eventually” are officially behind you. If you have the skills to handle the repairs yourself, do so. Otherwise, hire a professional. For example, when it comes to your windows, you may be able to tackle repairs like weatherstripping or replacing hardware, but actual glass repair or anything that needs serious attention requires the expertise of a professional. Sites like Angi.com can help you connect with local contractors, and you’ll have a chance to read customer reviews and see ratings so you know you’re getting the right person for the job.
No matter how you get the repairs done, knock this out as soon as you decide to sell. Other aspects of prepping your home, such as deep cleaning your property and staging your space, are best left till after repairs since dust and other debris can set your space’s look back significantly.
At the end of the day, you want your house looking its absolute best when you put it on the market. Any simple, affordable renovations you can do to spruce up your space will be well worth it when you have plenty of competitive offers to consider!
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