When you are putting your home up for sale, you have two main goals; a timely sale, and receiving the best possible price. In order to achieve these goals, your home needs to present itself in the best possible light. While every home shopper has different ideas about what the 'perfect home' is, you as the seller need to ensure that your home appeals to the widest variety of home buyers possible.
How Does Your Home Stack Up?
According to a survey put out by the National Association of Home Builders "What Home Buyers Really Want", home buyers desired the following features most:
Energy Star-rated appliances — 94 percentLaundry room — 93 percentEnergy Star-rating for the whole home — 91 percentExhaust fan in bathroom — 90 percentExterior Lighting — 90 percentBathroom Linen Closet — 90 percentEnergy Star-rated windows — 89 percentCeiling fans — 88 percentGarage Storage — 86 percentTable space for eating in kitchen — 85 percentWalk-in kitchen pantry; ability to stock up and buy food and supplies in bulk — 85 percentAs you may have noticed from the preferences above, green is gold. Buyers are looking for homes that are energy efficient, providing an overall lower cost for owners to run the home.
Other surveys have uncovered the desire for develop function rooms with zones for entertaining, working, family activities, and retreating. This is true of the kitchen as well since it serves as the hub for social activity in the home. Kitchens should be open with an island that serves as both additional eating space and a divider from the great room.
Outdoor living space serves as an extension of living space for the home. Ground floor walk outs and covered patios are high on many buyers wish lists. Outdoor fireplaces and cooking areas are an attractive way to showcase an outdoor living space.
"To dos"
What can I do to make sure my home shows its best?
YardYour yard is the first thing a buyer will see and is the basis for your home's first impression. Make sure the yard is well manicured, no leaves or branches on the ground and all beds freshly mulched.. You may want to leave a pot of red or yellow flowers by the front door - research shows that this helps to sells homes faster!
Clean & Shiny All home surfaces should be clean and the air should be fresh smelling. If there's a smoker in the home, be sure to remove all ash trays and make sure that your home does not contain smoke odor. Consider smoking outdoors while the home is on the market.Bathrooms need to be spotless, no towels lying around, toys in the tub, ring in the toilet, etc. Ensure that they sparkle and smell fresh everyday. Make the beds and develop all bedrooms each day and especially prior to all showings.
De-clutter While you may become accustomed to things lying around your house, try to look at your home the way a buyer would. Inspect all surfaces and floors; don't forget about the closet! Removing clutter will make the home appear larger. As a rule of thumb, there should be no more than 3 kitchen appliances on the counter top and as little as possible on the bathroom counters. Less "stuff" on counters show more room! It's ok to leave out a few of your child's favorite toys and a few family photos to give that good, cozy feel'. Tip - For those smaller items lying round the home, have some plastic laundry baskets handy so you can throw any clutter in them and take them with you when the home is being shown. Also, have a 'pet plan' - to remove pet toys, food bowls,etc. as well as the pet anytime the home is shown.
Organize Straighten up and dust bookshelves. Use the bookshelf rule of three; 1/3 books, 1/3 pictures and accessories, and 1/3 open space.
Organize closets, ensuring items are hanging nicely and everything has its own space.
Since the pantry & laundry room both rate high of the list of things buyers want, buyers will be interested how you are utilizing these spaces. It's important to make sure they are neat and well organized.
Updates
Complete the 'honey-do' list. Finish all those small repair jobs you've been working on or putting off. Even the smallest repairs can be an indicator of non obvious problems lurking below and the surface, and be a put off to the buyer.Paint colors can be daunting - too much white gives an institutional feeling while bold colors can be off putting. The key is using neutral colors. Neutrals appeal to a wide audience and is your safest bet. Changing out old door knobs, light fixtures and kitchen cabinet knobs will give you a big bang for your buck. According to Realtor Magazine, buyer now want more efficient and smarter home! If you really want to give your home a strong selling advantage, consider upgrading your kitchen with stainless steel appliances and granite counter-tops, this is sure to win over the pickiest of buyers. One of the greatest comments that I often hear is that a seller may not want to paint or upgrade because the buyers may not like it! Not true! I utilize professional interior designers at no cost to help you to pick paint colors and suggest ideas to improve the overall appearance of your home. Whether you are picking paint, carpet or granite counter top colors, I can certainly assist you in this endeavor.
Chasing Buyers Away Trends of the past that no longer appeal to some home buyers include: a shower-only stall in the master bath and a two-story entry foyer, which is viewed as costly to heat and cool. Home-buyers want to live in an area that has walking and bicycle paths, with community landscaping of green spaces. But keep in mind that every buyer is different in terms of needs or wants. Laminate or tile counter tops, laminate cabinets, one car garages, wallpaper, and popcorn acoustic ceilings are a big "no-no". Pet odors, musty or wet basements, unclean homes, poorly lit rooms, older carpeting and more are just a few of the things that chase buyers away. And one of the worst things to do is for a seller to hang around during the showing! Buyers and their agents want to freely walk around and discuss the home.
Preparing your home for sale can seem overwhelming at first. Utilize a professional Realtor and home staging expert to help you develop a customized plan of action. The results will be amazing and the return on investment will be worth it! You must do everything possible to make your home stand out among the your competition! Lighting rooms before showings and having your home show in the best possible way will pay back dividends. I strongly recommend a company called Creative Staging. They are amazing!
Please contact me if you are considering to list or sell your home now or in the near future. There is a difference! Let me show you how.
Frank Dolski MBA, ABR, e-PRO
Associate Broker
Certified Relocation Specialist
Previews Luxury Home Specialist
Coldwell Banker Hearthside Realtors
Ranked #1 In The State of PA in 2012 For Affiliated Coldwell Banker International Realtors
2012 Coldwell Banker International President Elite Award
2013 Coldwell Banker International President Circle Award
2010-2011 Coldwell Banker International President's Circle Award
215-803-3237 (mobile)
215-794-1070 x-103
f.dolski@cbhearthside.com
www.FrankDolski.Com
