Sell your home in Houston or the surrounding areas faster by using these tips!
In this post, we go over simple items you can do to get the home in tip-top shape to show buyers and increase our chances of getting your home sold faster. These tips will focus on the appearance and feel of the home. Competitive pricing and quality marketing are going to be very important as well in the separate posts we will go over those. We are going to work our way from the outside to the inside remember none of this needs to be expensive.
Curb Appeal
Let’s begin with the yard, you are going to want to keep it mowed and raked. If in the fall removing leaves more often will do wonders to show off the lawn. You can use flowering potted plants to show off the backyard. Removing any toys, tools, bikes, and or trash from the yard will go a long way in making the yard look larger.
We will set the tone of the whole home by being sure all screen doors, garage doors, and entrance doors are in good working condition. Doors that are discolored or worn will need to be painted. Some sellers may select a contrasting color for the entry doors to give an accent to the front of the home.
The front of the home needs to show well because that first impression can be a lasting impression. Final points of the outside if you have trees or shrubs trim and prune them because this will brighten up the front additionally certain finance options require it to be done.
Inside the home
Next, let’s move inside. I want us to make note of a theme you are going to see as we work through this, that theme is less is more, and clean/ functioning is everything. The first thing we are going to need to do is to declutter and de-personalize as much as possible. What this means is if you have family pictures or portraits it will help to take them down. We love those pictures however we need the buyer to start picturing their own family or friends’ pictures on the walls.
If you have any broken or damaged furniture it would be best to remove them from the property. Anything you are not using you can sell if you still plan to use it in the next home then you can put it in storage, not a problem. Removing extra furniture will help to make the spaces larger. This also applies to kitchen counters and pantries remove as many not commonly used appliances or items to increase the space of the kitchen.
In the bedrooms, remove extra or damaged furniture to increase the size of the rooms. If you have been wanting to go thru your closet and donate some of the items you no longer use this is a great time to give to others so they can enjoy them. In bathrooms keeping the counter space clutter free by removing as many items as possible, does wonder in increasing the look and feel of the restrooms. Remember as we mentioned before less is more.
Cleaning
Once you have decluttered and reduced the amount of furniture or objects around every room, hallway, bathroom, and kitchen, it’s time to start cleaning. Cleaning is one of the most inexpensive ways to dress up a home. A clean home is also one of the easiest ways to make a great impression. You are going to want to clean all of the floors and walls and any hard surfaces that you see throughout the home. To brighten up rooms clean any light fixtures the home is equipped with. Additionally, if any of the light bulbs are out it would be best to have them replaced.
Clean all your windows inside and out. In the kitchen, all of the remaining appliances which should only be the major ones, think oven, stove, and fridge, need to be clean inside and out. If you have fridge magnets let’s take them all down and free up the front of the refrigerator. In the kitchen, you want to clean all the hard surfaces that you can see from cabinets to counters (inside and out). In other rooms, Since a lot of furniture has been removed it would be best to move what furniture is left and clean behind and underneath them. If you have carpets and have the budget, definitely would not hurt to have the carpets professionally cleaned or cleaned by a rented machine.
By this time after you have decluttered and cleaned the home, you have already added $1,000s in value easily. It will feel like a weight off your shoulders if done right. Now we are going to address any of the items that are broken or need a facelift. Disclaimer we won’t ask you to remodel your home or take on any major expenses. If the home is severely deficient we will talk with you about what can be done. We understand everyone’s budget is different.
Appearance
This being said, We are going to want to make sure that all doors open and close properly. If the home has a staircase we need to make sure all of the banisters and handrails are in good condition. If the home has not been painted in a few years it might be best to paint the walls. Before we go much further you need to know that paint color matters!! You always want to paint in Neutral colors if you are unsure what this means get with Evan or any of the other team members. If a room is painted colors that are not neutral, we suggest painting them. (This was me when I was younger I had the lime green and black ceiling. Yikes!)
Holes in the wall should be filled no matter the size. Smaller holes can be filled with painters’ putty and larger holes can be filled with patches easily installed. If you are thinking about adding new hardware don’t overthink it but keep it simple. I would check an online retailer, most of the time you can get a 30-pack of handles very inexpensively. You can re-caulk the tub and sinks if this is missing.
Life can be added to living rooms by adding house plants. Please note that a couple of plants are fine however we don’t want so many plants that it makes it feel like a green room. Less is more.
Upkeep
We have come a long way, let’s go over it together. First, we decluttered by reducing the amount of furniture and extra items around the home. Then, we went on to give the home a deep clean. Finally, we handled all those maintenance items that have been building up. Now, what is next? By this time you have already been in contact with Evan or one of the other team members at the Kodiak Bear group and you mentioned to them that you want to sell your home in or around the Houston area. Once the home has hit the market it is going to be important to maintain the property in its current condition.
If you are living with family you might want to come up with a family plan. In the event it’s just going to be you I would still come up with a plan. This plan needs to be how can I do a quick spot cleaning of the house either daily or before a showing takes place.
This plan will come into play when you find out that a showing is going to take place. This means we need to do a quick spot mop or sweeping clean of the floors. We don’t need to do a deep clean but we don’t want the floors stained either. Put up small appliances that are used often. Quick wipe down of the kitchen counters and tables. Pick up toys or personal items you don’t want potential buyers to touch, this goes for valuables as well. Quick wipe down of the bathroom. The same applies to bedrooms by making up the bed and putting up any clothes or items that are out.
Setting the Mood
Last but not least might want to spray the home with an air freshener, Remember we want just enough. Also severely limit your use of plug-ins or candles. Too many fragrance devices and it looks like you are hiding something. Little essential oils here and there. One plate warmer in the kitchens is fine. The idea here is we are setting the mood for the buyer as they come in. Retail stores do this to attract customers.
When you are ready to sell your home in Houston or the surrounding areas we would love to meet with you to come up with your very own plan of action. You can contact us using this link. Contact Us
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Sincerely, Kodiak Bear Group