Improving Your Home’s Appeal

The Best Life To-Do List

At Best Life, when we go to listing appointments we often create a to-do list we suggest our sellers complete prior to putting their home on the market. Sometimes, the list includes big ticket items like replacing a roof, or an aging HVAC unit. More often it consists of small, relatively inexpensive items that sellers can do themselves, particularly if they are a little handy. Below, we made a list of the most common to-do’s we recommend.

The List

• Plant a few colorful pots with flowering plants to brighten up the porch or entryway
• Paint the front door and consider replacing the door hardware, if necessary
• De-clutter counter tops in kitchen. If you don’t use it multiple times a day, put it away!
• Remove unnecessary items from table tops and surfaces – think simple, clean lines
• Pack up unused clothing and/or belongings – this will give you a head start when the house is sold!
• Consolidate unused items in the garage, preferably by stacking neatly in boxes or containers.
• Make small, obvious repairs like replacing ripped screens in doors. They may not seem like a big deal to you, but to a prospective buyer, they give the impression of deferred maintenance.
• If your home is heavily furnished, consider removing some furniture or furnishings from your home. This will allow prospective buyers to see your property, not your things, no matter how beautiful they may be.
• If you painted a room (or rooms) crazy colors, think about adopting a more neutral color palette. At Best Life we love color, and cool, quirky homes but some buyers simply cannot get past that purple wall.

Stage Your Own Walk Through

We suggest that if you are considering putting your home on the market, you walk through it as a buyer would; slowly and critically. The way you live in your home and the way it should appear to prospective buyers may be two different things. Make sure you have a clear path, unobstructed by furniture and objects. This allows the home to appear larger, more open and airy. Look for deferred maintenance issues. Be tough on your home as you go through this exercise…we can promise the buyers will.

The Takeaway

Ideally, a buyer walks away with a good mental picture of your home. If they are distracted by your belongings, they will only remember the belongings, not the home. If the house is cluttered, or things look like they need to be fixed, that’s the mental picture they take away. At the end of the day, this negative impression makes it a lot less likely that your home will be the one they choose. Buyers have lots of choices in today’s market. Make sure as a seller, you put your house in the best light from the moment they pull up at the curb, to the moment they walk out the door.

Best Life

Improving your home’s appeal is easy, even with little to no money. Even if you’re not currently thinking of selling, adopting some minimalist philosophies can make living in your home more enjoyable. If you’re thinking of selling your home, and are looking for some expert advice, please contact us at Best Life. We’d love to help.