Here are 7 key tips to get those buyers out of their cars and to your front door.
1. First, act like a buyer!
Walk the exterior of your entire house with a critical eye and a notepad with a pen. Make notes of what looks bad and needs to be repaired, replaced or cleaned. Get in your car and drive slowly from both directions during the day and at night. You might see something you've never noticed before, such as a Frisbee on the roof, a missing piece of siding or poor night lighting.
2. Second, clean up the mess!
Buyers should see themselves living in your home, with their belongings and their style. Go for a clean, streamlined look. Here are some simple tips: remove bikes, skateboards, trash cans, garden tools and other evidence of a busy family life. Walk through the house with a trash can and discard bits of paper and plastic, branches, leaves, dog and cat feces and anything that doesn't belong in the yard. Eliminate everything but a few carefully selected pots and some garden furniture.
3. Clean the entrance
Remove everything, including furniture and pots, from the porch, patio or entryway and give the whole area a thorough cleaning, including all the cobwebs! Clean the front door and, if necessary, give it a fresh coat of paint. A bright contrasting color can bring a home's front door to life. The trick is to choose colors that match the exterior design and colors of your home. Repair or remove damaged screen or barn doors. New exterior lighting can quickly give a home a new look. While you're at it, replace house numbers and the mailbox. Place a large planted pot on each side of the front door. A tasteful, cheerful welcome mat at the door will invite buyers inside.
4. Buyers love it: improve or create an outdoor space
If your patio, deck or garden allows it, install furniture that extends the home's living space outside. Outdoor rooms are a trendy attraction for homebuyers. Ideas may include adding an inexpensive outdoor rug, a swing set, patio furniture, mood lighting, dining or barbecue areas or a fire pit.
5. Look up!
Most homeowners won't look at their roof anytime soon, but the roof is an important part that buyers will definitely pay attention to. Is a roof tile missing, or dirty and stained? Remove moss and mold. A good cleaning or, if necessary, a roof replacement will greatly increase the threshold value of your home. Don't forget to clean gutters and check fixings. Check that downspouts are installed correctly and do not drain toward the house or exit too close to the house.
6. Carefully inspect all windows
Replace cracked window glasses and damaged screens. Consider installing blinds at some windows for a quick face-lift! Always open shutters, curtains and blinds. Open curtains look nicer from the street. Go outside and look at your windows from the street and try to maintain a uniform look with all windows. Be sure to scrape any chipped, flaking paint and repaint with a fresh coat! Painting the trim and shutters is a great way to refresh the look of your home. Make sure your windows are clean and streak-free inside and out!
7. Finally, give your garden some love and bring it to life!
Replace your porch boxes, window boxes and flower beds with some colorful flowers for an instant face-lift. Keep the lawn carefully mowed and sharpened! Spend a weekend shaping, pruning and cutting back overgrown shrubs. Mow all those neglected and overgrown areas. Prune trees and remove branches hanging over the house. It is difficult to make a house look great if the lawn has a lot of weeds. Keep it weed-free, fertilize and water it so it looks green and healthy! If you have a fence, make sure it is in good condition. Replace broken gates and tighten any loose latches.
Now that your house is looking beautiful again from the outside, of course you should also care about how it looks on the inside. When selling a house, you do face more important tasks and decisions. Rotsvast is involved, thinks with you and provides appropriate advice. We advise on the right asking price and sales strategy, and guide the entire sales process. Choosing a Rotsvast sales broker means choosing flexibility, customer-friendliness and quality. See here how we can help you.
