Five ways to help your home sell for top dollar

Five ways to help your home sell for top dollar



Curb appeal – make sure that what a buyer sees when they first arrive at the outside of the home makes them want to see the inside. Simple tasks such as refreshing mulch and trimming back trees and bushes can make a huge difference.


Uncluttering & Neutralizing – clutter is anything that distracts the buyer from the architectural designs and fine features of your home. Any strong decorating elements, whether or not they are attractive, stops buyers so that they notice that decorating statement, and not the home itself. Creating a neutral environment that accommodates virtually everyone’s furnishings provides a firm foundation for getting the best offer in the shortest amount of time.


Cleaning – The buyers will have an uncomfortable feeling if they sense that they are intruding into personal space – such as into a kitchen with dirty dishes or a bathroom that doesn’t sparkle. Take the time to give your home a thorough cleaning before going on the market, and then have a regular schedule for keeping the home clean while you are actively on the market.


Repairing – A house cannot sell for top dollar if any detail, large or small, is in less than perfect shape. Neglect repairs and you position your house as a fixer upper, which decreases both the number of potential buyers and the price they will be willing to pay. When a home is in need of repairs, buyers feel justified in making lower offers, since they will likely calculate the “worst-case” scenario for the cost of the repairs. Making repairs, whether small (a leaky faucet) or large (replacing damaged shingles), again positions you to get the best offer in the shortest amount of time.


Staging – it is more than simply removing clutter and cleaning up the house. Staging makes the potential buyer comfortable in the “home” and makes them want to come back and live there. Remember that buyers are looking for a house that will meet physical as well as psychological needs. They want to feel comfortable, to enjoy a place of beauty, a haven from the busyness of daily living, and somewhere they can be proud to entertain family and friends. Staging can cost very little – it can simply be reorganizing the existing furniture in a room, creating a focal point in each room with furniture or flowers, and making that house “home”.