Curb appeal can present many difficulties when it comes to spring time.
For most areas through out the country this time of year means brown leaves, trees and bushes without any leaves, and dull or even no color.
The lush landscaping and splashes of color that go along with the summer months are not present, but what can we do during this time of year to improve curb appeal?
Since improving your curb appeal has proven to not only increase the value of your property, but also the value of other properties in your neighborhood, we need to take some steps to ensure that we can achieve this goal.
The weather is changing. We are starting to see colder temperatures, and snow is already falling if parts of the U.S. Winter is coming.
Most Realtors will tell you it’s better to sell your home during the spring and summer months when the weather is warmer. Families typically plan their house hunting while the kids are our of school and the weather is warm.
However, what if you can’t sell your home during this time of years? What if you can not afford to keep your current home and need a quick sale? What if you found out that you are getting transferred and you need to make your move during the winter months?
Well whatever reason that you may have to sell your home, you do not need to despair just becausee winter is around the corner. There are certain challenges that you may face trying to sell your home during the winter, but it is not impossible. In fact, if you follow a few basic tips mentioned in this article, you will find that selling your home during the winter could be just as easy as selling it during the summer.
Contrast the Cold With the Warmth
Emotions play a big role in the home buying process. Granted, the buyers will be most concerned with the size of the home, the number of rooms, and other tangible items. But “gut” feelings and first impressions go a long way as well. So even in the coldest winter months, you can put this knowledge into practice. In fact, you can even take advantage of the winter cold!
The best way to do this is by showcasing the warmth and coziness of your home. By doing this, you will create a favorable first impression that the buyers will take with them throughout your house. Let’s look at an example of this concept in action.
Imagine This Realistic Scenario
Local home buyers John and Jane visit your home while house hunting. It’s cold outside, with wind and rain on top of that — the kind of conditions that make you want to hunker down someplace warm. John and Jane open the front door and enter the home. The house is well lit and exudes warmth. Candles burn atop the mantle. A fire crackles softly in the fireplace. The smell of gingerbread cookies (recently baked offered on a glass plate) permeates the air.
Doesn’t that feel inviting? It will be the same way for buyers. So just by showcasing the warmth of your home, you have increased the likelihood of selling it. You are creating a favorable first impression by literally welcoming the buyers in from the cold.
You can think about it in terms of both psychology and physiology. The first physical impression will be one of warmth and relaxation, just as soon as the buyers walk in. This will lead to a favorable mental impression as well, and the buyers will carry this impression with them through the rest of the home.
Conclusion
Some people will tell you that selling a home fast during winter is impossible. Well I say it depends upon two things — (A) the amount of effort you put into it, and (B) the type of real estate market you are in. So one cannot say across the board that selling a home fast in winter is impossible. It is a case-by-case situation. Use the tips provided in this article, follow the expert advice of your real estate agent, and you have every chance of selling your home during winter!
I duscussed the importance of curb appeal in a previous post, but now that we have the buyers inside the house we want to seal the deal by making sure that they fall in love with your home.
Staging the inside of your home is just as important as the outside. If you follow this list, you will get more offers and your house will sell faster and for a better price.
1. Remove clutter and clear off counters. Throw out stacks of newspapers and magazines and stow away most of your small decorative items. Put excess furniture in storage, and remove out-of-season clothing items that are cramping closet space. Don’t forget to clean out the garage, too.
2. Wash your windows and screens. This will help get more light into the interior of the home.
3. Keep everything extra clean. A clean house will make a strong first impression and send a message to buyers that the home has been well-cared for. Wash fingerprints from light switch plates, mop and wax floors, and clean the stove and refrigerator. Polish your doorknobs and address numbers. It’s worth hiring a cleaning service if you can afford it.
4. Get rid of smells. Clean carpeting and drapes to eliminate cooking odors, smoke, and pet smells. Open the windows to air out the house. Potpourri or scented candles will help.
5. Brighten your rooms. Put higher wattage bulbs in light fixtures to brighten up rooms and basements. Replace any burned-out bulbs in closets. Clean the walls, or better yet, brush on a fresh coat of neutral color paint.
6. Don’t disregard minor repairs. Small problems such as sticky doors, torn screens, cracked caulking, or a dripping faucet may seem trivial, but they’ll give buyers the impression that the house isn’t well-maintained.
7. Tidy your yard. Cut the grass, rake the leaves, add new mulch, trim the bushes, edge the walkways, and clean the gutters. For added curb appeal, place a pot of bright flowers near the entryway.
8. Patch holes. Repair any holes in your driveway and reapply sealant, if applicable.
9. Add a touch of color in the living room. A colored afghan or throw on the couch will jazz up a dull room. Buy new accent pillows for the sofa.
10. Buy a flowering plant and put it near a window you pass by frequently.
11. Make centerpieces for your tables. Use brightly colored fruit or flowers.
12. Set the scene. Set the table with fancy dishes and candles, and create other vignettes throughout the home to help buyers picture living there. For example, in the basement you might display a chess game in progress.
13. Replace heavy curtains with sheer ones that let in more light. Show off the view if you have one.
14. Accentuate the fireplace. Lay fresh logs in the fireplace or put a basket of flowers there if it’s not in use.
15. Make the bathrooms feel luxurious. Put away those old towels and toothbrushes. When buyers enter your bathroom, they should feel pampered. Add a new shower curtain, new towels, and fancy guest soaps. Make sure your personal toiletry items are out of sight.
16. Send your pets to a neighbor or take them outside. If that’s not possible, crate them or confine them to one room (ideally in the basement), and let the real estate practitioner know where they’ll be to eliminate surprises.
17. Lock up valuables, jewelry, and money. While a real estate salesperson will be on site during the showing or open house, it’s impossible to watch everyone all the time.
18. Leave the home. It’s usually best if the sellers are not at home. It’s awkward for prospective buyers to look in your closets and express their opinions of your home with you there.
Staging your home is one of the most important things you can do right after pricing it properly. It is a known fact that staging will sell your home faster and at a much higher price than those that haven’t been staged.
Staging your home for selling doesn’t have to cost a ton of money. In fact just giving it a good deep cleaning will do wonders to help it sell. Remember that the first impression made upon a potential buyer can never be taken back, so you want to make sure that it’s a good one. Here at Coldwell Banker Select we offer a free professiional staging consultation to help you better understand what you can do to stage your home properly. Give me a call if you would like more information.
The following video talks a little more about staging and the steps that you can take that will help.
“Curb Appeal” You’ve heard the term many times. They talk about it on HGTV and many other networks and programs about improving your home. But what does it really mean when they say “Curb Appeal”? Why should you be concerned about it when you are selling your house?
I have worked with many buyers who decide that they do not want to get out and look at a house within seconds of pulling up. I have sat on many open houses and have seen people pull up and drive away without even getting out. The reason for this is that potential buyers will not care as much about the inside if the outside just does not look, or feel right. This is known as curb appeal and it is very important when it comes to selling your home quickly and at a price that you want.
There are many things involved when we talk about curb appeal. When working to make a big first impression, take a look at the basics first. How does your landscaping look? Are the shrubs, trees, flowers and lawn all propery trimmed and neat in apearance? Take a look at the entry way, the windows, gutters, and overall painting of your home. Keep in mind, that while the Realtor is in the process of getting the key from the keybox, his/her client is taking a good look at the exterior. Does your home give a positive, or a negative impression?
The first thing that typically happens when a potential buyer pulls up to a house is they imagine what it would be like if it was theirs. How would others, such as friends and family think when they visit? This may only happen on a subconscious level, but I can guarrantee that it will happen.
In order to work on your homes curb appeal, you need to think like a buyer. Get a notepad and walk out to the front of your house. Imagine yourself as a potential buyer and write down everything that catches your eye in a bad way. When doing this, be specific. If necessary, draw it out. Is there an area of the lawn that needs special attention? How does the paint look? Are the bushes neatly trimmed and not overhanging the walkways?
After making your list, study it and make a plan of attack to improve your homes curb appeal. Set the items on your list in order of priority. What is the most important thing that needs to be done first? What next? And so on. This will allow you to work your list in an effective manner. The key is to not take on too much at one time. If you start a job and don’t get it finished, it will only hurt what you are trying to accomplish.
Curb appeal is essential when it comes to selling your house because it creates that first impression. If the impression that they get from the outside is negaive, that negativity can be carried with them into the house which is something that you definitely do not want.
For the most part, homeowners know of the repairs that need to be made to their home prior to selling it. In fact, sellers may have many items on their list of things to do. However, not all repairs are equal. Some items on that list may not even rank high at all on a buyers mind.
Finding out which repairs will make your home sell faster will help to create the best list to work on. A study conducted by HomeGain was created to take the guess work out of which repairs are the best use of your money. Accourding to the study, the top four areas to focus on are cleaning and decluttering, making your home brighter, proper staging, and yard landscaping.
HomeGain has broken down the ROI’s for the top repairs. The following percentages are an average of returns nationwide. Cleaning and decluttering can create a 578% ROI. Staging can create and ROI of 340%. Landscaping both the front and back yards can bring in an ROI of 415%. According to their survey, these repairs costs can range from a few to several hundred dollars, but the return can amount to thousands of dollars in profit.
Additional repairs that have shown to increase profits are: Repairing electrical and plumbing problems, replacing or steam cleaning carpets, painting interior walls, painting exterior walls, repairing damaged flooring, and updating kitchens and bathrooms. Routine maintenance will also benefit the selling of your home as well.
Not washing your windows seems like something pretty simple, however, it is one of the biggest mistakes made by home sellers. Another mistake is ignoring the floors. Never have dirty carpet in your house if you are wanting a quick sale at a good price.
When you make the above repairs costing approximately $5,000 – $8,000, HomeGain, says that prices, for example, on a three bedroom, two bathroom home can result in price increases: in the Mid-West, $20,279.
“With homes sitting on the market longer, homeowners should do everything they can to sell it quickly and at a price they expect,” says, Louis Cammarosano, General Manager at HomeGain.
