Get Your Home Ready to Sell!

When I am listing a home, I am usually asked by the sellers what they can do to improve their homes to get the best price and a quick sale.  Of course, pricing the home correctly for the market and the conditions is the most important factor.  However, almost everyone can do something to make their homes more attractive to buyers. 

Here are the five most frequently recommended items for the interior of the home (although each may not apply to everyone):

• If you have hardwood floors, show them off.  Many older homes have hardwood floors under the carpet, especially on the first floor.  Buyers today love hardwood floors because they are easy to clean and because they are very fashionable right now. Whether you do it yourself or you hire someone to do it, ripping up the carpet will be well worth the effort.  And speaking of carpeting, NEVER put it in the bathroom.  It is a major turnoff to buyers; bathroom floors should always look like they have just been sanitized.

• If you have old, out-dated lighting fixtures, change them.  Home improvement stores have plenty of low-cost, attractive lighting fixtures that will make a big statement.  So whether it’s the 1970s glass chandelier in the hallway or the strip of round light bulbs in the bathroom, trade them in for a more modern look.

• If the groutlines in the bathrooms and kitchen are not sparkling clean, either clean them off or replace the grout and caulk.  No one wants to see grunge in either of those rooms especially, so look over all the surfaces to make sure they are gleaming.

• Check all the walls to see if they need to be repainted.  Nothing freshens up a house faster than repainting.  Trade out any wild and crazy colors (or old dated wallpaper) for softer neutrals.  You can’t go wrong with shades of tan, taupe, grey, or light sage, which are warmer and preferable to white.  Also, look over the woodwork and ceilings, and refinish those if necessary.

• Clear out clutter and excess furniture.  Each room should look as spacious as possible with just enough furniture so that buyers can visualize where their own furniture might go.  If the walls are cluttered with too many pictures, consider replacing a lot of small ones with larger pictures or a large mirror.  You will be moving anyway, so consider packing the excess up and putting it in storage now.

Of course, there are many other improvements that can be made, but these are low-cost changes that can make a big impact.

If you are thinking of putting your home on the market, contact me or call me at 860-748-8900.  Let me help you make your next move your best move!

 

Peggy Chirico, REALTOR®
Serving the Greater Hartford Area
Prudential Connecticut Realty
peggychirico@gmail.com

If you are buying or selling a home in Hartford County or Tolland County, please call me at 860-748-8900, email me, or use the Contact Request Form.  I would be happy to help you with your home search or answer any of your real estate questions.

Find your dream home now!