Trying to get a home ready to market can be intimidating especially when a seller doesn’t want to spend a lot of money or have a lot of time. Here are some ideas that don’t cost a lot but will make an impact for buyers.
Painting: Interior walls should be in neutral colors. Soft whites or creams make a room look larger and brighter. If you don’t have time to paint walls, look at the baseboard and doors. Often they get more wear and tear. Painting the front or side doors a bright color can add curb appeal to a home.
Light Fixtures: If the original ceiling light from 1972 is still in the home, it’s probably could use an update. Flush ceiling lights that bring a lot of light and are simple in design will modernize a kitchen or baths.
Diffusers: When a buyer opens a door and steps into the home and it smells good, it immediately makes a good impression. Having a fragrant diffuser in the living room and bedroom will make a difference. “Too many times, we show a home and it smells musty. That’s not the first impression you want a buyer to have,” explains Broker Marty Pozgay.
Cleaning: Sellers don’t realize how important it is to have a clean home, especially if the home is vacant. Often homes are left exactly like the homeowner had it when they lived there. Personal items such as toothbrushes and toiletries are still in the bathroom and clothes are still hanging in the closet. Even if all the furniture will be sold with the home, removing the personal items and cleaning the home will always make a better impression to a buyer.
Air Conditioning: Leave it on. In many vacant homes, the sellers turn off the air conditioner, which leaves the home extremely hot especially in the summer months. Buyers can’t wait to get out of a hot house and that’s the exact opposite of what you want a buyer to do. “We immediately see a difference in buyers’ attitudes when they walk into a home where the air conditioner is on then in a home where it is not,” explains Pozgay when showing homes. The air conditioner can be set at 78 degrees; it doesn’t need to be very cold but air needs to circulate. In fact, when the air is not left on, the floors can begin to warp and mold and mildew can grow.
