Getting Your House Sale Ready Without Overspending

When you finally make the decision to sell your home, it isn’t unusual to feel overwhelmed with projects to do to get it ready to put on the market. You’ll get a plethora of opinions talking with your friends. As you sit down interviewing potential real estate agents, they too will have various suggestions. You might be left wondering where to start. 

A suggested approach would be to start by considering inside and outside projects that while low cost, could increase your overall “curb appeal” for prospective buyers. It is important to focus on what they will see not on what you think they might see. 

Start Outside at the Curb
Stepping away from your house and looking at it from the curb, look from the eyes of someone else. Be attentive to determine if they will see weeds, a dirty driveway, or cracked paint. 

Make sure the grass is tidy and freshly cut. Take some time to pull any visible weeds, put in a few new flowers, and drop fresh mulch along plant beds. Taking some time to pressure wash the sidewalk and driveway will also make your house more appealing. Not all homes need to be repainted, although if there is visible cracking of paint on the house or trim, it will be advisable to touch it up. If your home is older or set under tall trees, it could be beneficial to have the gutters and roof cleaned.

Step On Inside
Thinking about where to start inside might seem daunting, therefore a suggestion is to start in the higher traffic rooms first such as the living room and kitchen. 

Be sure that your house is clutter free. You might enjoy multiple seating options in your living room, although removing a few might make the room seem more spacious. If necessary, consider storing less used furniture. Numerous photos and knickknacks may be sentimental to you, it is suggested to depersonalize your house which helps buyers picture themselves in your home. 

As much as we would like to spend more time in a living room, the kitchen is the center piece of any home therefore this is a good room to address. Counters are more presentable when less cluttered therefore, move a few of the small appliances into cabinets. Use a cleaner to wipe down the counters and the sink. Clean the outside of the large appliances such as the refrigerator, oven, and dishwasher. 

In most cases, refacing cabinets or installing new countertops wouldn’t provide a realistic return on what it would cost. A lower cost consideration to give the cabinets fresh pop would be to replace older knobs with bright new ones. 

Go room by room to replace any light bulbs that might be burned out. Another low-cost suggestion would be to consider replacing the wall switch plates. New generic plates could add eye appeal versus dingy styled wall plates. Overall, it is suggested to wash the windows, windowsills, and baseboards, be sure to dust, and have the carpets cleaned. If you can, touch-up paint and if necessary, contemplate repainting any room in poor condition. 

Maintaining Curb Appeal
Once some of these projects are in place, be sure to set a schedule for maintaining outside and cleaning inside. If you are heading out for the day, consider building time each morning to ensure that the house is ready if an impromptu showing happens which could have that one buyer tour your home; dishes should be put away and the counters cleared off. A little elbow grease which takes only time, keeps up the appeal of your home. 

Keep In Mind
For this article is focused on low-cost items rather than higher cost repairs or room remodels.  Certainly, known repairs should be addressed before listing the home. Any additional repairs might come about after the buyer’s home inspection and can be addressed then. Tackling higher cost remodel projects would need to net a higher return on investment to be worthwhile. An adage suggests that a reasonable ROI should return 4 times what is spent.