When there are more homes on the market than there are buyers, it is important that your house stands out from the compeition! Here are 5 great tips to ensure your house is showing to its utmost potential heading into the fall market.
1. Curb Appeal - Buyers are looking for warm and inviting low maintenance homes. It is imperative with the weather changing and leaves soon to fall, homeowners stay on top of yard work to remove the visual impact of (work). Add some seasonal plants for color and assess the exterior lighting to ensure it is adequate.
2. Complete any minor updates, repairs and painting. Buyers are looking for Move-In ready homes, children will be settling back into school with a focus on homework and activities, the last thing a family needs is to move into a home under repair and disarray. It is important to have a neutral and cohesive color scheme that will appeal to a wide range of buyers tastes and preferences, suitable for any buyers furnishings. The color scheme should compliment the existing finishes of the home for example flooring, counters etc. Accent colors can be used on feature walls and removable furnishings to add warmth, contrast and color to draw the eye through the room.
3. Space Sells - Once summer is over, it is time to pack up the portable fans, summer toys, clothing, sporting and camping equipment etc. Buyers are looking for space! Excess items shoud be stored off site with family or freinds or if necessary an off site storage unit. Nothing will increase the value of a home faster than the removal of excess items. This will visually increase the size of a home and broaden its appeal to potential buyers.
4. All senses come into play when viewing homes for sale, in cold, damp weather it is important to keep your home at an appropropiate temperature including basements, otherwise potential buyers will think of it as cold and expensive to heat. Put on gas or electric fireplaces to create a warm and inviting atmosphere.
5. With bad weather, out come the winter coats, umbrellas and wet shoes. Keep your entrance clear of coat racks and shoe racks. Not only are they messy, they visually decrease the size of the entrance and draw unnecessary attention to inadequate storage that may otherwise have gone unnoticed.
