Don’t Sell Your House Until You’ve Done These Things!

If you are looking for a quick sale of your property, then there are a number of important things that you should do first that will help increase its value.

Many people believe that they need a big budget and a lot of time to completely renovate their home if they want to add value to it before they sell. While this is one option, it is not the only option available to you. If you are willing to put in some time and effort, you can increase the value of your home in a variety of ways. This means you can increase your home’s equity on any sized budget.

Consider what time you have, how urgently you need to move and what budget you can invest towards adding value to your home. To help you on your journey, here are some top things every homeowner should consider doing before they put their home on the market. Consider what is viable for you and make a plan of action you can tackle before you put your house up for sale.

Declutter

Decluttering is one of the best things that you can do and has the power to change the value of your home. If your property is filled with lots of objects and lots of junk, then it is going to be difficult for anyone to visualise themselves living there. It can also play down the condition of the property, which can impact the price it goes up for.

Take some time to go through your home and take inventory. This can benefit you regardless, as if you are going to move house, having a good clear out beforehand will make your life much easier when it comes to moving. Consider what you can store away and what is essential to keep. You want to keep in mind how you showcase your home in a way that will increase its value and attract buyers. This can help buyers visualise themselves and their belongings in your home.

Clean

Your home needs a good clean before you get it evaluated and put it on the market. A home that looks dirty will not sell as easily. You also may not realise things like unpleasant odors that have developed over time from pets, damp, mold, etc. Make sure you give your home a good spring clean. This can go hand and hand with your decluttering. Both these tasks will make a huge difference to the presentation and value of your home.

A clean home is going to attract buyers, but also make them feel like they are getting good value for money and that they have less to do when they buy the house. They are able to just move straight in, which removes a lot of barriers for them.

Get rid of any damp and mold

You should go above and beyond a spring clean, and inspect your home for damp and mold. If you find that you have damp and mold in your home, then it might be a food idea to get a professional cleaner to help you. They will have commercial cleaning products that are suitable to get rid of and prevent it coming back. Any signs of damp and mold in your property is going to devalue your property and put off potential buyers. Not only is it toxic, but it is also unsightly and can cause long term issues to the foundations of the property. This is not something that someone wants to take on when buying a new home.

Resolve small issues

Go around your property and assess your home for any issues and damage. Small things like light bulbs not working, wires hanging out or small damages on walls may not seem important but lots of them can start to add up. Make a list of issues that you find, and in your spare time you can work through them. Alternatively if you have the time and budget, you may seek the support of a handyman to complete these tasks for you. When your home is evaluated and buyers are looking around, it can make a great impression if everything is spotless.

The great thing is, it doesn’t take too much time or effort to sort out some old wires, fix light fittings, replace bulbs, and fill in some small holes in the walls. Similarly to cleaning, buyers can feel as if there is less work to do, they believe there is less risk in the investment and they can just move right in.

Refresh the paint

Paint can wear very easily, which means the rooms in your home can look tired. A quick refresh of paint can be an excellent way to add some life back into your home and add some value to it before you put it on the market. You can simply update the colours you already have so they look clean and fresh, or you can change the colours completely. If you opt for the latter, then make sure you consider what will invoke the right emotions, what is currently trending on the market and what will last over time. Make sure you avoid excessive colours or wallpaper patterns. Neutral is always a safe bet, as it forms a great foundation that can be customised.

Make sure you cut in properly and paint with some effort so that all your work is worthwhile.

Organise your decor for to invoke emotions

The way that your decor is organised can make a huge difference to how the property feels. Consider how you can move your furniture around to make the room feel spacious and flow nicely from room to room. Consider how you can create zones with furniture and create points of interest. You want to make your home appear to be of high quality, and help potential buyers visualise ways they could live there.

Improve energy efficiency

The energy efficiency of your home can directly impact its market value. Energy efficiency is a big thing and is well sought after when it comes to properties. If a home does not have any energy efficient tools, then the new home owners are likely going to want to invest in these. Home’s that are set up to be energy efficient are seen as long-term investments, which can help increase the value of the property when you go to sell it.

An energy efficient home means it is future proof and will run a lot more cost efficiently. Buyers are much more willing to invest more money in a home set up this way.

Consider how you can make your home more energy efficient. There are lots of ways you can do this to suit all kinds of budgets, for example, update the windows and doors, add insulation to your property, add renewable sources of energy, and more.

Convert any dead space

Dead space in a property can seriously impact its value. In fact, it can actually decrease its value as it is seen as something that needs work doing to it. If you have the time and budget, you should spend some energy fixing up the dead space. This could be as simple as cleaning it, decluttering it, putting down some cheap flooring and painting the walls to turn it into a usable space and another room. Alternatively, if you have a bigger budget, you may hire a professional to renovate the space and turn it into another bedroom or bathroom. This will help increase the value of your property.

Tidy up your garden

A clean and clear garden is a big opportunity to increase the value of your home. Consider how you feel when you look at a garden that is overgrown and filled with rubbish, compared to one that looks well maintained. A garden that is a mess means more work for a buyer and a decrease in home value. Take some time to get rid of all the rubbish in your garden, trim and bushes and plants, and neatly edge your lawn. This is especially important for the garden at the front of your property, as this is the first thing a buyer will see and it will make a huge difference to how they feel about your property. If you have extra time and budget, you can plant some nice flowers and upgrade your garden to help add even more value.

Make sure the exterior is well presented

The exterior of your home is vital. This extends beyond the front garden and considers the exterior building, the foundations and the roof. This needs to be in good condition and presentable. These two factors will ensure that your property is valued at a high price and is attractive to buyers. If you have any issues with your home’s exterior, it is important that you fix these prior to selling. This could be something that looks concrete, or it could be a foundational issue.

Selling your home is going to be a challenge. Make sure you do all of these things to help you sell your home quickly and for a good price.