Stage Your Home to Make Buyers Fall in Love With It
If you have lived in the same house for years, the chances are good that real estate practices have changed dramatically since you bought your property. Long gone are the days when home buyers travel with a Realtor to various properties without previous information about those homes. These days, the work of most real estate agents revolves around handling paperwork and scheduling showings, not researching to find properties. Home buyers are much more likely to do their own online research.
In other words, your home needs to appeal to buyers from the second you list it if you hope to sell quickly and for an optimal price. Setting your home up to look attractive to buyers, a process called staging, can help you maximize your returns on your upcoming home sale. Making the best possible first impression will help you sell your home quickly.
Your Online Photos Are Your First Impression
If you hope to sell your home quickly, listing your property online is critical. Your real estate agent will likely handle the process of creating the online listing and taking photographs, but you need to work with them to ensure an accurate and eye-catching presentation of your home. For many prospective buyers, digital photos and online descriptions determine whether they will even express interest in a property.
You need excellent photographs of both the outside and the inside of your home. Ideally, you will take the time to rehab and fix up problem areas and invest in some finishing touches to make your property as eye-catching as possible. You should also pack up a lot of your decor and personal items prior to photographing your home.
Not all home buyers like the Western or country styles popular for many in Cody. Aim for a neutral but trendy appearance that allows people to visualize their own plans for the space. Not only will this help give you a head start on the moving process, but it will also make the home seem more inviting to buyers, who may be turned off by too much décor.
You Need to Get People Through the Door to Get Offers
Exterior appearance can make or break a potential home showing. Many people pull up to a home, only to quickly drive away and cancel their showing. You need to maximize the curb appeal of your home. Anything from a fresh coat of paint on your front door to taking the time to manicure your yard and gardens can make a big difference.
Investing in thriving annual plants near the front door, as well as some landscaping visible from the road, can do a lot to make your property stand out to people driving by. When the front door and appearance from the road are appealing, people are much more likely to come inside with a positive attitude.
Once Inside
Of course, once potential buyers have fallen in love with the exterior of your home, it’s time to wow them with the inside. First impressions mean a great deal, so make sure that there is a pleasant aroma in your home, whether by burning some candles, having freshly-baked bread rolls on the kitchen table or a pot of coffee brewing. Next up, make sure that everything is tidied out of sight, and if you have pets then it would be a good idea to have them lodge somewhere else for the day in case the buyer isn’t a ‘dog person’. Make sure that your blinds and drapes are open wide to allow plenty of natural light to flood in, and you might use additional lighting to transform any dark corners.
Cultivating a beautiful and inviting appearance for your home is critical to a home sale. From properly staging interior photos to investing in outdoor repairs to maximize curb appeal, there are important steps to take to help your home sell quickly. If you have trouble seeing the potential in your property, your real estate agent or even your neighbors may be able to offer you advice about simple steps to take that will improve the visual appearance of your home to prospective buyers.