How To Get The Most Possible Money When Selling Your House
Depending on when you bought your home, there’s a very good chance that you have quite a bit of equity right now. Still, there’s probably a lot you can do to increase the selling value of your home and a lot of them are pretty simple.
1. Clean up the outside – Try to look at your house as if you have never seen it before. If that’s tough for you, ask a friend or coworker to give you an objective opinion. Curb appeal is the first thing new buyers see and you’d be surprised at the number of potential buyers that let that be the last impression.
Do you need to paint or do you need new siding? Even if the siding is in good shape, make sure it’s a neutral color. Personally, I love purple houses, but I’m in a small minority. the same holds true for other more creative shades.
Fill bare ground with ground cover or lawn. Add some shrubs and flowers to the front. Shutters and an accent door add a lot of personality, without being offensive, to the house.
2. Clean the inside – This takes work and will constantly need to be maintained while the house is being shown. Dust and vacuum every single day. Never, ever leave a dish in the sink. Make sure all the beds are made and that each has matching or coordinating bedding – in other words, no two different colors of pillow cases. Make sure the bathrooms have clean, preferably new, matching towels. Potpourri is always a nice touch, as are subtly scented candles. The old Realtor’s trick of baking cookies actually does help.
3. Renovate the bathroom – Bathroom renovations can be anything from brand new spa-like fixtures and tile to new light fixtures and faucets. Regardless of your budget, caulk and add new linens.
4. Renovate the kitchen – Yes, that’s expensive and might not be worth it. Ask your Realtor, but there are some things you can do without spending too much. Paint, scrub your appliances spotless, add a new backsplash. You can even paint your cabinets, which takes about a weekend or two. If you have the budget, knock down walls for an open look and build an island/breakfast bar. Replace your appliances with stainless steel.
5. Paint the inside – Again, use neutral colors.
6. Add an additional bathroom if you have room – Most Bay Area homes don’t have basements, but there are many homes with wasted space. If you can add a bathroom, it should add to the value of the home. Again, consult with your broker and perhaps a contractor to weigh the value.
7. Don’t define rooms for buyers – Some rooms are obvious. A kitchen is a kitchen. A bathroom is a bathroom, but your home office might be another’s playroom. Your TV room might be a home office. Put neutral furniture in those rooms, such as a sofa, chair and maybe a small desk that can double as a plant table.
8. Change light fixtures and buy new bulbs.
9. Add solar – In California, we have plenty of sun and solar rooftops can add thousands to your home’s resale value. It’s best if you go solar before selling your home, so you can benefit from the cost savings too. A solar water heater is also a great investment.
10. Add hardwood – If you can afford new flooring, hardwood is the most popular option. There are several types of hardwood flooring and there are laminate floors that look like hardwood but aren’t. Gauge that based on your neighborhood. A high-end neighborhood will require high-end flooring. A starter neighborhood may be fine with laminates.