If you’re thinking about selling soon you’ll want to take a close look at your home’s condition and determine what projects, if any, will need to be done before marketing it. Some projects can feel overwhelming and may or may not be necessary (meeting with a real estate professional is a good way to prioritize that list.)
Details matter to home buyers but can easily be overlooked by sellers, especially if you’ve been in the home a while. It’s easy to just stop seeing what is always in view. Know that buyer perception will be affected by small, seemingly insignificant improvements. Here’s a list of five simple projects you could do in a weekend to start boosting your home’s appeal for those future buyers.
Organize Boot, Bag & Coat Storage
Winter gear tends to pile up over the season, especially near main entry points. If you list during this time of year, you’ll want to address the mess. Walking into mound of jackets and footwear is a distraction for buyers at the very least, and can easily can create a less-than-ideal first impression for anyone touring your home. Take time to clean it up and create system for organizing coats, hat, bags and shoes, ideally out of sight. Decorative hooks, baskets, bins or cubbies can work wonders. If you have a coat closet that needs reorganizing, even better. Clean it out and keep it organized. This is something you could do in a weekend. It’s an easy and inexpensive way to boost appeal and create a positive first impression for buyers.
Add Mood Lighting
Natural light is always best but this time of year many showings happen after sunset. There’s a good chance buyers will be viewing your home at night, and the light illuminating the space will add to their overall impression. Take a close look at your lighting situation and make the simple additions, repairs or replacements needed to enhance it.
Check all overhead fixtures and sconces for burned out bulbs. Replace where needed and make sure to match bulb strength and color. For example, if you have a 3-bulb bath fixture be sure all three have the same type bulb. And if a fixture is broken, now is a good time to replace it.
Soft, warm light is preferred for creating a cozy atmosphere. Florescent or blue-white bulbs feel cold and harsh. Lamplight also creates a more comforting, homey feel, especially compared to flush mount overhead lights. Add lamps (with warm bulbs) to rooms where space allows. Thinks bedside tables, poorly-lit corners and even bathrooms or hallway console tables. Dimmers on pendants and chandeliers are also handy for creating a cozy ambience. Again, this is an easy, quick way to increase appeal that could be done in a weekend.
Replace Worn Rugs & Welcome Mats
An even easier project is to get rid of old muddied rugs and welcome mats and replace with new. Clean points of entries are key to creating positive first impressions, and door mats and rugs are usually the first things to come into view. You might want to do this closer to listing though to keep the new ones clean. You could just buy now them and have them ready. One more thing off your list!
Add Potted Plants
Adding plants to your rooms is a simple and inexpensive way to warm up your space, especially in colder months. House plants add life and can be used as pops of color. Use a floor plant in place of furniture or knick knacks to fill in empty spaces (in big corners, on bookcases, etc.) Add to a bathroom to create a spa-like feel or use as simple centerpieces for a kitchen, dining or coffee table.
Be sure to keep plants looking healthy — trim dead leaves and follow instructions for keeping them alive! If you’re not a plant person you might want to wait until closer to listing before taking on the task. Or pick hardy varieties that demand little attention. Succulents and cacti are easy options. They’re also trendy right now and can add a modern, up-to-date accent that complements most home styles.
Clean!
This may not be as quick and simple, depending on your starting point, but it is the most important, and it’s free (or can be). So if there’s anything that needs deep cleaning (refrigerator shelves, bathtub & shower, stovetop, hall closet, garage, etc.) might as well begin now.
When cleaning spaces it’s also best to clean out. Start purging and getting rid of unwanted stuff sooner than later. This part can be overwhelming so go bit by bit and celebrate small completions. Clean kitchens and baths are most noticeable to buyers so you may want to start there.
As the weather warms consider scheduling window washers to clean all windows inside and out (or do it yourself). This will make the whole house seem cleaner. If you’ve never done it, or if it has been a while, you will be amazed, especially after a Minnesota winter or two. And if hiring whole-house cleaners is in your budget, do it. Try to schedule it as close to listing time as possible though.
Heidi Swanson is a Realtor® based in St. Paul, Minnesota. She writes a blog to share information on variety of topics including buying and selling, market conditions, homeownership trends, local events and more. Reach her at heidi@lyndenrealty.com or 651-503-1540.
Photo Credits
Succulent: avery klein on Unsplash | Rugs: Lida Sahafzadeh on Unsplash
Welcome mat: Jon Tyson on Unsplash | Sink: pascalhelmer on Pixaby