What’s one of the most important rooms in your home? When it comes to selling your property quickly, and for the best price, the answer is clearly the kitchen.
In fact, one of the most common explanations buyers often give for not making an offer is, “I liked the house, but I wasn’t too keen on the kitchen.”
That doesn’t mean you must do a major renovation. However, you should do what you can to make the kitchen as attractive as possible to buyers.
Here are some ideas:
First, clear the countertops. Put away the toaster and other items. You want to make the entire countertop area seem as spacious as possible.
If the cabinetry is old, you can spruce it up by installing new knobs, handles and other hardware. A fresh coat of paint on the walls and ceiling can also make the kitchen look like it has had a major renovation – but will only cost a few hundred dollars. According to an article on the website HGTV.com. “The fastest, most inexpensive kitchen updates include painting and new cabinet hardware.”
Replacing the countertops is a more expensive renovation, but may be worthwhile if the current counters are old and worn.
Finally, when preparing your kitchen for a viewing, make sure it’s clean and tidy. The garbage and recycling bins should be empty. Buyers will open cabinets, so make sure items on shelves are neatly organized with the front labels facing forward.
There are many other ways to make the most important rooms in your home look great to potential buyers. Contact me today for more ideas.
Are you planning on doing some work around the house this year? Maybe you want to do some painting or get some needed repairs completed. Maybe you’re planning a major improvement, like a new kitchen or bathroom.
Whatever you have in mind, I might be able to help. How? Well, I’m well-connected in the local “home” industry. I know a lot of very good, reputable professionals and companies. Chances are, if
you’re looking for, say, a home improvement contractor, I could give you a name.
I enjoy helping valued clients like you. As your real estate sales associate, I’m committed to being of service not just during a move, but in the months and years afterwards as well. It’s one of the reasons I send you these helpful updates. I hope that as a result of my service you’ll also think of referring me whenever a relative or friend asks you for a real estate sales associate recommendation.
You’ve probably heard of “staging”. It involves setting up each room of your home in a way that maximizes its appeal to buyers. You’ve probably also heard that this strategy can help sell your home faster – and for a higher price.
That’s true. However, if you’re like many homeowners, you’re worried about the time, energy and cost involved in staging your home properly. After all, don’t professional stagers bring in special furniture and décor? Will you have to do the same thing?
Not necessarily. Staging doesn’t have to be a big imposition. In fact, there are many staging techniques that most homeowners can easily do on their own. Among the simplest are: cleaning, decluttering, fixing, and painting.
Rearranging furniture can also improve the look of a room, while putting some furniture into storage can make the room look more spacious.
A helpful technique is to think of each room in your home as a product for sale. Then, explore ways to make it the kind of room buyers would want to buy. When it comes to effective staging, that’s a good mindset to get you started.
You’ve probably heard the expression, “The early bird gets the worm.” It refers, of course, to those who get in early and reap the rewards. For example, if you arrive early to a retail sore for a big blowout sale, you’re likely to get the deals before the inventory runs out. The stragglers who come later, miss out.
Well, this same wisdom can be applied to selling your home. Starting the process early – even if that means simply doing some initial planning – gives you the edge in several ways.
First of all, you get extra time for preparation. That means you can get your home cleaned, uncluttered and staged without feeling rushed. You also get more time to find out how much your property will likely sell for on today’s market. That’s important information, especially if you’re also looking to finance a new home.
Secondly, there’s less stress. You’ll have more time to make the right decisions. The last thing you want is to be scrambling around, last minute, trying to get your home ready for sale.
Finally, with your initial preparations done, you’ll be able to put our home on the market at a moment’s notice. That’s a huge advantage that’s likely to lead to selling your property more quickly and for the best price. In fact, by getting an early start on the process, you might even find that right now is the best time to list – and you’ll be able to do so, with confidence.
Want help getting an early start on selling your home? Contact me!
A recent survey from the National Association of Realtors® revealed that 77 percent of buyers’ agents said staging a home makes it easier for potential buyers to visual it as their own. That’s why I believe staging is not to be overlooked! Here are my top tips.
Dress up your yard. First impressions count, and the first one your home gives comes from the exterior. Mow the lawn, clean up shrubbery, rake any leaves, clean the walkway and driveway, plant in-season flowers, and pull up any unsightly weeds.
Reduce personal items. Make it easier for buyers to imagine themselves making your house their home by removing personal photos and knick-knacks from shelves, walls, and counters. Instead replace them with clean, simple décor, such as abstract paintings, nature images, vases, plants, and more.
Organize your storage areas. Storage is a huge selling point. Tidy up and clear out the accessible closets and cupboards in the home and make sure to point them out during an open house or showing.
Appeal to the senses. Consider ways you can appeal to potential home buyers’ other senses. During a viewing or open house, bake some fresh cookies or burn delicious smelling candles and play light, relaxing music in the background.
Consider turning to an expert. With their knowledge of current trends and great eye for design, professionally certified stagers can transform a home in a variety of ways and have a keen sense of what home buyers want and expect in a home. Investing in hiring a pro may pay off in dividends.
If you’re wondering how your house would fare on the current market, give me a call for a free evaluation!
Wouldn’t it be nice if you had all the time in the world to find your next dream home? You could leisurely browse the current listings, select homes you’d like to see, schedule visits on dates that are most convenient for you, and make an offer on a property only after you’ve had plenty of time to consider all the alternatives.
Sure, that sometimes happens, but it’s not typical. Often, people shopping for a home are on a timeline. Sometimes a very tight timeline.
So how do you find your next dream home when you don’t have all the time in the world?
First, you need to develop a clear picture of the home you’re looking to buy:
How many bedrooms?
What size of property?
What type of structure (two-story, split, etc…)?
Then, you need to list your preferences. These might include “large kitchen” or “main floor office”.
Now, this may pertain to sprawling urban centers more than small rural towns, but you should also narrow down the area in which you’d like to live. If you have three of four targeted areas, and only consider listings in those areas, your home search will be much faster.
What if you don’t know the neighbourhoods well? Visit a few. Drive around. Explore. Get as much beighbourhood data as possible, such as demographics, recreational activities, parks, shopping, schools, etc. Then choose the neighbourhoods that fit your lifestyle.
Finally, the best way to find a new home on a tight schedule is to work with the right real estate agent – someone who, like me, is experienced in the local market.
Are you planning on doing some work around the house this year? Maybe you want to do some painting or get some needed repairs completed. Maybe you’re planning a major improvement, like a new kitchen or bathroom.
You’ve probably heard of “staging”. It involves setting up each room of your home in a way that maximizes its appeal to buyers. You’ve probably also heard that this strategy can help sell your home faster – and for a higher price.
You’ve probably heard the expression, “The early bird gets the worm.” It refers, of course, to those who get in early and reap the rewards. For example, if you arrive early to a retail sore for a big blowout sale, you’re likely to get the deals before the inventory runs out. The stragglers who come later, miss out.
Reduce personal items. Make it easier for buyers to imagine themselves making your house their home by removing personal photos and knick-knacks from shelves, walls, and counters. Instead replace them with clean, simple décor, such as abstract paintings, nature images, vases, plants, and more.
Wouldn’t it be nice if you had all the time in the world to find your next dream home? You could leisurely browse the current listings, select homes you’d like to see, schedule visits on dates that are most convenient for you, and make an offer on a property only after you’ve had plenty of time to consider all the alternatives.