You’ve invested a lot of time, energy, and finances into your home. For as much sentimental value as it may bring to you, it’s time to move on. You’ve got a family now, and a bigger, better job. You need a place that suits the you that you are now.
If you’re getting your house ready for the marketplace, you’re going to want to send it off in style. Follow these six home staging tips to make sure your first home gets the kind of owners that it deserves—and that you get the kind of price that you’re asking for.
All these steps (and more) will help increase the curb appeal of your home.
Fix faulty hardware
You know how you have to jiggle the coat closet door handle and pull up on it at the exact right angle to get it open? You may not even notice it anymore because you do it every day. But potential buyers want every door to open easily, and without being left holding a doorknob. Be sure to get this fixed.
This is going to be true for anything else around the house that may be a little busted or has been on your “to-fix” list for years. Now is the time to hire a handyman to get it done quickly and done right.
Repair any loose bricks or broken pavement
There really is never a second chance to make a first impression—trust us, buyers are always going to remember what they saw first.
Add any loose boards or railings on the deck or porch and be sure that loose bricks on your walkway or the façade of your home aren’t jiggly.
Paint the walls with neutral colors
Neutral colors help prospective buyers visualize their belongings—art, photographs, and so on—in your home.
Do your walls need a new coat? Now’s the time to do it.
If you’ve got the funds, renovate that kitchen
You don’t need to do a complete overhaul. You are moving out, after all, and you don’t want to sink all your savings into a project that you won’t get to enjoy.
But sprucing up the countertops, cabinets, and appliances might be in order. If your kitchen is relatively modern looking, with nothing glaringly awful in there, you’ll be alright.
If you’ve got the funds, part two: bathroom edition
Again, don’t go overboard here.
Keep your goals in mind here: you just want to spruce up the bathroom a bit, so that your prospective buyers won’t thumb their nose at the property without really taking the time to check it out.
Make sure the floor tiles are intact, that there are no leaky faucets, and replace any mats or shower curtains that look worn, torn, or moldy.
Touch up the windows
You know that old saying—the eyes are the windows of the soul?
The same could be said of the windows on your home. Clean the blinds, wash the curtains, and touch up the paint on your shutters.
There are all kinds of other steps you can take to keep your property attractive for prospective buyers—from hiding pet bowls and beds to patching holes in the walls and securing crown molding.
Do what feels right to spruce up your old home for sale without bankrupting yourself and your family, that’s the best course of action you can take as you prepare for a move!
This piece original appeared on Mortgages.com as “Prepping Your Home for Sale? Here are 6 Essential Staging Tips”
