10 Ways to Make Your Home More Sellable in Today’s Competitive Market

The real estate market in Crossville, TN is a competitive market. Sellers are competing for a smaller number of home buyers. Your real estate agent should be a great resource to assist you in getting your home ready to sell. Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Southern Realty has 10 simple suggestions to make your home more salable in today’s competitive market. These suggestions, if followed, will make your home stand out from the competition. To quote a national real estate trainer, she said, “the way we live in a house and the way we sell a house are two different things.” You never get a second chance to make a good first impression.

1) Get rid of clutter. Throw out or file stacks of newspapers and magazines. Pack away most of your small decorative items. Store out-of-season clothing to make closets seem roomier. Clean out the garage. Cluttered spaces seem smaller and make it harder for potential home buyers to visualize their own furniture and belongings in the home. Sometimes home buyers mistake cluttered for dirty so get rid of the clutter.

2) Wash your windows and screens to let more light into the interior. It allows the home buyer to see the view with out having to look through dirty windows.

3) Keep everything extra clean. Wash fingerprints from light switch plates. Mop and wax floors. Clean the stove and refrigerator. A clean house makes a better first impression and convinces buyers that the home has been well cared for. This is very important to potential home buyers. They want to know the home they are about to buy has been taken care of.

4) Get rid of smells. Clean carpeting and drapes to eliminate cooking odors, smoke, and pet smells. Open the windows. This is a tough one because for many homeowners have a hard time identifying odors when they have lived in the home for so long. Even the subtlest of odors can dramatically affect the home buyer’s decision.

5) Put higher wattage bulbs in light sockets to make rooms seem brighter, especially basements and other dark rooms. Replace any burnt-out bulbs. Brighter rooms make better impressions and can even make home buyers feel better while viewing your home. Brighten up those dark spaces.

6) Make minor repairs that can create a bad impression. 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, trim the bushes, and edge the walks. Put a pot or two of bright flowers near the entryway. Your yard is one of the first opportunities you have to make a good first impression. Many home buyers drive by homes even before contacting their agent to see the home. Many a showing has been lost because of untidy yards.

8) Repair your driveway. Patch holes in your driveway and reapply sealant, if applicable. Home buyers are looking for anything as they drive up to the home. Set a standard that they will see throughout the home.

9) Clean your gutters. Leaves and debris hanging over your gutters are a real turn off for potential home buyers.

10) Polish your front doorknob and door numbers. You never get a second chance to make a good first impression.

Allow your real estate agent the freedom to consult with you about preparing your home for sale. Their advice and experience should prove to be invaluable.