Keep Your House Clean to Get the Best Price
One of the best things you can do to get a good price for your property is to keep your home immaculate inside and out. Before listing, wash the walls, dust every inch of the house, deep clean the carpeting, and mop the floors. It may be easier for you to hire a cleaning company to tackle this job. Furniture, linens, and draperies that are in the home should be clean and freshly laundered. A tidy, fresh, and uncluttered home is a good sign that your property is well-kept.
Basic Indoor Improvements
If you enjoy tackling home improvements yourself, replace old, stained carpets and refinish the hardwood floors. Painting is great for updating and improving the look of the interior walls. Choose neutral colors that appeal to a wide range of potential buyers. If you have wallpaper that is outdated, peeling, or stained, remove it and replace it with new, modern wallpaper.
Get the Best Price by Staging Your House
To make the most of a showing, the property should be neat with minimal furnishings. Remove personal items including your collectibles, family portraits, and art that may not appeal to buyers. If you’re still living in the home while it is being shown, pack up most of your family’s belongings and put them in storage. With your real estate agent’s help, choose a few select pieces of furniture, rugs, and accessories to stage the home.
Cleaning Up Outdoors
Rent a pressure washer or hire a company to clean your siding, driveway, deck, and walkways. Pressure-washing removes dirt and stains and leaves the exterior of your home looking clean and new. Wash the windows, inside and out. Dirty windows make the house look and feel darker, while clean glass allows plenty of sunlight into the interior spaces.
Trim the lawn regularly and prune hedges to keep them neat. It’s also important to prune tree branches that overhang your roof and driveway to keep branches from falling and causing damage to your property.
If your home has flower beds, clear out weeds, trim back old growth, and add a fresh layer of mulch. Depending on the season, plant brightly colored blooms to add color to the landscaping.
Getting the best price for your home will require some work and preparation, but the payoff will be worth it. Taking care of the house and making improvements will help you to present an attractive and well-maintained property. Homebuyers are more likely to commit to purchasing a home that looks and feels welcoming, tidy, and cared for by the owner.
Carolina Homechek serves the greater Charlotte area of North Caroling with home inspection services. If you’re planning to put your home on the market, contact us for a pre-listing inspection.