Sarah Alexander
Realtor
Realty Executives Integrity
Getting ready to sell? Buyers will form a first impression about your home within seconds of touring it in-person or online. Make sure the impression your home makes is one of high value for the asking price with these 5 tips for boosting your home’s appeal. Bonus: You don’t have to go for broke to make a big impact!
Indulging your interior walls with a neutral, classic color is one of the most inexpensive and simplest things you can do that will make an incredible impression. If you choose to DIY, focus on one room at a time to limit your day-to-day living disruptions. Evaluate window and door frames, skirting boards and doors to see if a good clean scrub will do the trick, saving you even more time and expense.
Flooring tells the story of a home’s wear and tear very quickly. Having carpets and tile floors professionally cleaned can dramatically improve the freshness of your flooring and is well worth the cost on the return. However, if the shelf life of your home’s flooring has truly expired, replacing it may be your best bet. Somewhere in the middle? Professional floor cleaning coupled with re-sanded floorboards opens up possibilities to paint, stain or simply reseal floorboards for a clean and updated look.
As you go about the task of de-cluttering your home, storing everything you’ve just removed in the garage might come second nature. Especially if you don’t spend a lot of time out there yourself. Don’t make the mistake of overlooking the garage as you imagine your home through someone else’s eyes. Keeping the garage open and bright shows its potential to accommodate a workshop, storage area, multiple cars, home gym or even a “man cave.”
After you’ve rolled up your sleeves and done a good once-over, determine where the weak spots are in your yard or patio. Purchasing established potted plants native to your area will give a pop of color to your outdoor spaces (and you may take them with you when you move!) Pathways and painted areas will both benefit from a good high-pressure hosing treatment. Cleaning outdoor furniture and then adding some inexpensive furniture pillows in coordinating colors completes the look and invites buyers to stay a little longer.
The kitchen is still one of the most popular selling points of any home. Aside from upgrading appliances and expensive remodeling jobs, you can still add value in creative ways. Cupboard doors and new handles are a great place to start. Some cabinet doors you can simply pre-treat and paint for a whole new look. Pre-made doors in a laminated finish are another budget-friendly option. Adding fabric to the kitchen will give it a soft cozy feel. Hide content clutter with fabric panels behind glass-front cabinets. Or, conceal less attractive lower cabinets with cloth skirts attached to a tension rod. Lastly, if you’ve gone with neutral fresh paint throughout your home, the kitchen can be a great place to add an accent color for boldness and distinction.
