What Projects Should You Tackle Before Selling Your Home?
Moving is already one of the more stressful life events. Selling a home can add another layer of complexity. One of our Core Values here at Suz & Co is “Make It Happen” and we take pride in the complimentary professional services, such as staging and project management, we offer to help our clients navigate this process. We’ve compiled some of our tried-and-true investments to help prepare your home for a successful, profitable sale.
Declutter
Our number one recommendation we make to clients is to declutter, de-personalize, and then declutter some more. When Marketing Director, Carey, sold her Waltham home, she moved nearly half of her belongings into storage before photos & listing! Less “stuff” yields a more spacious look & feel to every room. The ultimate goal is to let the potential buyer envision the home with their belongings. This is hard to do when their gaze is focused on your sports trophies, book collection, or family photos. Pack up what you can prior to the listing photos, showings & open houses and look forward to them gracing the walls of your new home. Enlisting a professional is always an option if the task seems too daunting. We even interviewed one in an installment of our “Makers” series - professional organizer, Lisa Linard!
Paint
Painting is one of the lowest cost home improvements to yield a high return on investment. A fresh coat of paint (in a neutral color, of course) can give your house a quick facelift. Consult a professional before taking on the task, to avoid any missteps with color selection. Director of Team Operations & Design, Becky, has yet to disappoint a client with a paint color recommendation! Unless you’re handy with a paintbrush, hiring a professional is worth the investment – a bad paint job can sometimes look worse than no paint job at all.
Up Your Curb Appeal
Potential buyers form their first impressions of your home when they first drive up (or drive by, deciding whether to book a showing or make it to an open house). If your grass is patchy, shrubs are overgrown, or paint is peeling, they will be turned off. Invest the time - and if your budget allows, the cost of a landscaper - to remove anything dead, cut back overgrown plantings, and refresh the lawn. Add some color with bright annual flowers - either planted directly into the landscape around the houses, or added to pots near the front door. Lean on your agent for advice regarding any bigger projects or repairs, such as exterior painting or masonry. If there are projects you’d like to take on, but don’t want to invest the cash up front, take advantage of programs like Compass Concierge that will front the costs for repairs needed prior to listing your home for sale.
Create a Welcoming Front Entry
The first impression of the INSIDE of your home is just as important as its curb appeal. Keep your entryway neat and tidy, free from personal items such as keys, coats, or photos. Your welcome mat should be neutral and clean. Ensure that the light fixtures and switches at the door are functioning and in good condition. Keep wall hangings to a minimum, especially if your entry is narrow. Consider adding some fresh flowers to welcome guests to your home (or ask your agent about having some available for open houses).
Tackle Those Minor Repairs
Now is the time to fix those little problems that you’ve just dealt with over the years, vowing to tackle at some point in the future. The future is now. So grab your honey-do list and either start checking it off yourself, or pass it over to a handyman to assist. If a buyer notices repairs that need to be done, they may shy away from the making an offer, fearful of what a home inspection may reveal. Unresolved minor repairs can be red flags for home inspectors and cause them to proceed with additional scrutiny. You may end up with an even longer list of requested fixes from your buyer before they will agree to execute a purchase & sale agreement. Pay particularly close attention to any issues with electrical, draining, roof and pluming.
Bigger Investments for Greater ROI
If you have the time and budget to consider some bigger projects, here are a couple of big-ticket items that are highly-sought after by buyers in today’s market:
Outdoor space. Particularly in a pandemic era, more focus has been put on outdoor spaces to gather or unwind. Consider adding or refinishing your deck or porch. A patio could provide an opportunity to create an outdoor living room. Landscape lighting shouldn’t be ignored either - consider it at the start of your project so it doesn’t become an afterthought.
Bathroom updates. A dated bathroom can end up making the entire house appear old and tired. Updating the counters, tiling, cabinetry and fixtures can provide a modern refresh that will be appreciated by potential buyers. Keep your choices fairly neutral - steer clear of bright colors and designs. At the very least, clean or refresh your grout to give your bathroom instant added sparkle.