Preparing to Sell your Home
Before selling your home, there’s a lot to think about. How much is your house worth? How are you going to make the house look it’s best for potential buyers? Are there any minor repairs that need to be addressed? A great way to attract buyers and get the highest value for your home is by upgrading and renovating! This doesn’t mean you have to go crazy and re-do every single room in your house. There are small upgrades you can do to ensure you’re getting the most value for your home. If you’re thinking about selling, here are some helpful tips and tricks for you to consider.
Tip 1: Make some kitchen upgrades
A beautiful kitchen is extremely important. This is the room that people flock to and could be the make-or-break for many first-time buyers. Among a survey of millennials, a modern updated kitchen was at the top of the priority list for ideal home features.
Before you sell, consider asking yourself if your kitchen is up to date. If your kitchen is feeling a bit dated, you have two choices:
Making some slight upgrades to make it more presentable.
Do nothing at all, so that the future buyer can make their own personalized renovations. However, that should be reflective in your list price. You never know which type of buyer is going to fall in your love with your home.
If you are thinking about making some upgrades, you do not have to completely gut your kitchen. Simply updating the countertops, backsplash, cabinets, appliances, or light fixtures and hardware could certainly do the trick.
Kitchen Featured: 248 S. 45th Street l West Philadelphia
Tip 2: Efficiency
Not only will you save money by making your home more efficient while you’re still there, it will also be a major selling point in the future. While putting solar panels on the roof sounds like a great idea, there are many other cost-effective ways to make your home efficient. A few easy things you can change in your home include attic insulation, upgrading your windows, and switching to LED light bulbs. Also, if you have an old heater, consider upgrading to a high efficiency unit. If your system is already in good shape, make sure it’s properly serviced annually. These changes will save you time, money, and the environment.
Tip 3: Fresh Paint: Keep it Neutral
When your home hits the market, you want it to look its best. A fresh coat of paint can make all the difference in the world. Painting high-traffic areas like the living room, the kitchen, or the bathrooms could be the icing on top of the sundae. If you do it yourself, it can be very cost effective. A paint job may cost you as little as a couple hundred dollars in materials, and your home will look refreshed and ready for buyers to walk through it. Now on to the hard part, choosing a color. Selecting a new color can be a rather daunting task, but it should complement your decor and be neutral enough to allow a new buyer to decorate according to their own taste. Neutral paint colors such as greys and off-whites are very on trend right now.
You can also experiment with a fun accent wall, but don’t get too crazy! The darker the color, the smaller your space will feel. The lighter the color, the larger room (appears). The general rule of thumb before selling is to keep your home very neutral looking to attract more buyers. We personally love Benjamin Moore and Sherwin Williams paint colors! Check out our favorite neutral tones:
Some of our favorite Benjamin Moore neutral white tones include: Acadia White, Swiss Coffee, White Dove, White Chocolate, and Linen White
Some of our favorite Sherwin Williams neutral grey tones include: Agreeable Grey, Repose Grey, Mindful Grey, Peppercorn
Living Room Featured: 2223 E. Susquehanna Ave l Fishtown
Living Room Featured: 1118 Shackamaxon Street l Fishtown
Tip 4: Curb appeal is a big deal
This is the first thing a buyer will see when they pull up to your house. Unfortunately, buyers will judge a book by its cover. If your house looks dingy or dated from the outside, you may turn buyers off before they walk into your house. Here is a word of advice:
If the exterior of your home needs a little love, we suggest brightening up the front of your house by giving your front door a fresh coat of paint or adding a fun wreath.
An eye catching doormat can also help boost a potential buyer’s first impression.
Consider adding planters to your window or seasonal potted plants to your front porch area. Flowers and greenery add color and can work wonders in boosting your home’s curb appeal.
Upgrading your mailbox and modernizing your home’s address numbers will make all the difference in the world as well. This can also be a fun DIY project if you’re crafty.
A little power-washing goes a long way. Rinse away the years of wear and tear on your home. This can make your house feel fresh and beautiful.
Exterior Featured: 2320 Parrish Street l Fairmount
Tip 5: A beautiful bathroom will set you apart
Similar to the kitchen, bathrooms are a huge selling point. Most importantly, the master bathroom is where you should be focusing your efforts. Buyers don’t want to walk into a bathroom that seems dated. The bathroom generally gets a lot of wear and tear, so you want to make sure every component of it is functioning properly and looks clean and appealing for buyers. An upgraded shower, a new vanity, new light fixtures, and beautiful tilework can really set you apart from the rest.
Bathroom Featured: 2223 E. Susquehanna Ave l Fishtown
As you’re reading this, you may be feeling overwhelmed thinking about all of the things you need to do to prepare your home to hit the market. Don’t stress, We are here to help!
Our advice: Start on the exterior, and then take it room by room. Focusing on one project at a time is a lot more manageable, and it will allow you to take your time to perfect all the little details. Buyers will take notice of your upgrades and your hard work will (literally) pay off in the end. The Philly market is hot right now and by following our guide to upgrading your home, you are sure to appeal to more buyers and stand out among the rest. We hope these tips were helpful to you. There are so many more professional tips we can provide. Again, we are happy to help.