The real estate market is in full swing and the traditional wisdom is to get your house on the market in the spring. Well we are there here in Florida and will be there soon in northern locations. So are you ready to sell? Have you made your updates that your home needs to bring in the right buyers? Buyers are checking out your kitchen, bathrooms and master suite. But they are also looking to see how spacious the house is. Can they fit all of their items into the home? Will they have a better life in your home? So here are some tips and links to articles that we have been helping out with at Realtor.com

Declutter!!!! Go through your closet and remove about half of what you have in there. It’s coming on spring so get the heavy coats and winter boots out of the closet. A potential buyer needs to see that there will be enough room for their items. If you have it packed full it will seem like there is no room for their things.

Update!!!! Do you still have formica counter tops? Change them asap! Go with a neutral granite and undermount sinks to give a higher end feel with lots of counter space. This does not have to be an expensive upgrade as lots of fabricators have remnants that cna be used for your bathrooms. Buyers want stone counters and if they don’t see them it will be an upgrade they will feel needs to go in and that means a deduction in what they want to pay you for your house.

Backsplash!!! Do you have backsplash in the kitchen, and not just the 4″ standard splash on top of your counter. I’m talking splash that goes from the counter to under the cabinets. If you have it make sure it is clean and anywhere that needs re-grouting you get touched up. If you don’t there are lots of great options everything from 12″x 12″ tin panels to peel and stick and amazing decorative tiles. Here is some of our advice on peel and stick tiles https://www.realtor.com/advice/home-improvement/peel-and-stick-tile/

Staging!!!! This is vitally important and is one of the hardest things for homeowners to do to their own house. Staging is not about designing the home for you to live in, it is about staging the space to feel as large as possible and on trend for the potential buyer to see themselves in the space. It is about depersonalizing the space. This can be super hard on the seller because you have your home the way that you like it, however the new buyer is going to have a hard time seeing past the red walls, or the kids character rooms, or the toy baskets in every room and the personal pictures. Staging is about creating an image. Here are some pictures from a home we recently staged.

And here is a great link to get some more information about the difference between staging and designing. https://www.realtor.com/advice/sell/home-staging-vs-interior-design-difference/

Paint!!! If you just painted recently great, make sure to touch up everywhere so the potential buyer isn’t seeing scuff marks. If you haven’t painted in awhile it is time to paint. Think neutral. Stay away from overly bright and potential turn off colors. Light grays, taupes and whites are your best bets for selling quickly. They will make everything feel brand new and will make the home feel larger.

Have more questions? Give us a shout and we will be happy to help you get your home ready for sale.