#1: The first impression is the only impression.
99.9% of homebuyers begin their search online. Get your house ready to sell, make certain that you have a professional photographer do high-quality listing photos. If your home doesn’t look good in pictures, an online buyer is going to swipe right past it. For those drive-by lookers, spruce up your home’s exterior with inexpensive shrubs and brightly colored flowers. You can typically get a 100-percent return on the money you put into your home’s curb appeal.
#2: Price it right
Work with your realtor to help you ask the right price for your home. It may not be the price you had in mind, but often a lower price will encourage more buyers to see your home and start a bidding war that may go even higher than you originally thought.
#3: The kitchen comes first
You’re not actually selling your house, you’re selling your kitchen – that’s how important it is. It may be a few thousand dollars to replace countertops, but a buyer may knock $10,000 off the asking price if your kitchen looks dated. The fastest, most inexpensive kitchen updates include painting and new cabinet hardware.
#4: Don’t over-upgrade
Do updates that will pay off and get you top dollar. Get a new fresh coat of paint on the walls. Make sure that everything is clean and working properly – from faucets to floors.
#5: Hide the pets
Remove food and water bowls, dog beds and litter boxes. Clean rugs and upholstery, to ensure that when a potential buyer comes in they aren’t overwhelmed with pet odor. During open houses and showings, remove your dog.
#6: Half-empty closets
Take half the stuff out of your closets then neatly organize what’s left in there. Buyers will snoop, so be sure to keep all your closets and cabinets clean and tidy. An organized closet will look bigger, and buyers are always interested in storage.
#7: Keep it light
Take down the drapes, clean the windows, change the lampshades, increase the wattage of your light bulbs and cut the bushes outside to let in sunshine. Do what you have to do make your house bright and cheery – it will make it more sellable.
#8: Always be ready to show
Your house needs to be "show-ready" at all times – you never know when your buyer is going to walk through the door. You have to be available whenever they want to come see the place and it has to be in tip-top shape. Don’t leave dishes in the sink, keep the dishwasher cleaned out, the bathrooms sparkling and make sure there are no dust bunnies in the corners. It’s a little inconvenient, but it will get your house sold.
Source: HGTV
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