Super-Quick Projects That Make Your Home More Appealing To Buyers
If you look up ways to make your home more appealing to buyers, you'll typically come across a lot of big projects — like redoing the landscaping or painting the walls a neutral color. These projects can all be beneficial. But what if you don't have the time to tackle them? Should you simply do nothing and just sell the home as-is? You certainly could, but if you can manage to set aside even a few hours, there are a few less-demanding projects that could make your home more appealing to buyers with a lot less effort.
1. Hide the family photos.
Your family photos may be one of your most prized items, but that does not mean home buyers want to see them. Family photos, and any other photos or items that are really personal, make it harder for a buyer to picture themselves in your home. Spend a little time removing them all from the walls and stashing them in a tote box. As buyers walk through the home, they'll be better able to picture their own family there without constant reminders of how your family lives there.
2. Touch up the door frames and baseboards.
If you don't have time to paint the whole home or an entire room, at least grab a can of your baseboard and trim color. Go around with a small paintbrush, and touch up any chips, scrapes, or dings. The baseboards and door frames tend to have the most obvious wear, and if you touch up the paint here, the whole house will look fresher. You don't want a big scuff on the door frame to be the first thing a buyer sees.
3. Deodorize the carpets.
Most unpleasant odors in a home come from the carpet. Shampooing the entire carpet would be a good idea if you had time. However, you can get similar results much faster by simply sprinkling a generous amount of baking soda over the carpet. Leave it in place for a few hours, perhaps while you accomplish some of the other projects on this list. In this time, it will absorb odors from the carpet. You can then vacuum it up, and the odors will come up along with it.
You don't always have to do a full remodel or paint all the walls to impress buyers. If you can make a few simple changes, like those above, you'll be set to sell.
For more tips about getting your house ready for home buyers, contact a real estate agent.