So you’re about to sell your home. It’s not exactly in prime condition: there are sauce stains all over the walls, the front lawn looks like it’s home to several endangered species, and you’ve decided to add a musical practice room in a neighbourhood for young families. Your realtor is coming over to inspect the house, and you’re hoping that the location alone will justify the price that you expect. That is, however, the problem: while location will be a significant part of the home’s price, you can get even more on your home by following these simple steps.
Clean it!
Think about it logically: would you want to purchase a house that’s messy and cluttered? Probably not. When your mother said “do unto others as you would have them do to you”, she wasn’t talking about real estate – but this golden rule is incredibly handy when it comes to increasing the value of your property.
Kids drawing all over the wall? Simple. Clean them. Whether they are stains, scuff marks, or even the aforementioned drawings, you can easily improve the value of your house by buying a few cleaning products and scrubbing them off. If you’re so willing, you can even apply a fresh coat of paint in the kitchen, living room, and master bedroom to make your house seem even newer, increasing its value.
De-clutter!
While you’re cleaning, why not choose to de-clutter as well? Tidying up all of your presents that you’ve left lying around is a great way to make your home seem that much more spacious, making it value for much more on the market. And don’t just lump all of these in the garage or spare bedroom, either. Make sure that you throw out unnecessary things. If you don’t, your home will look like it doesn’t have nearly enough space for all of your possessions, which will drive down the value of your home. When you’re done, get a friend to look over your house with fresh eyes to see what potential buyers will see.
While this can be a huge hassle, think of it this way: you are essentially getting paid to tidy up your own house!
Reinvent your rooms
Got a spare room lying around? If you’re in a neighbourhood of young families, add a cot and call it a nursery. If you’re in a neighbourhood of more established families, call it an extra bedroom, or a rumpus room. By looking at your neighbourhood’s demographics and tailoring your house to them, you can make your house sell for much more to families whose needs it will fulfil, and therefore make it worth that much more. While you’re at it, a fresh coat of paint always helps as well.
