One of the premier services we offer at Pamela Sandall Design is preparing properties for sale. Yes, we do the staging, but our most significant assistance is the process of making sure your property is ready for sale.
The old way of listing your home is to repair distracting issues, freshen the paint, clean, mow, and de-clutter. But there’s also something to be said for making a few select improvements that will net you a much higher return on your investment (ROI). Let’s dive in!
1. DO Fix Any Significant Home Issues
At a minimum, you’ll want to repair damage and elements that just don’t look good. Deferred maintenance, loose hinges, wonky drawers, and non-functioning light switches are items that we as homeowners tend to just live with and overlook. But, we know it’s an easy fix, and we’re going to get to it “someday.”
The buyer may see the issue, and a problem that you or a handyman could repair in an hour for under $50, becomes a $500 deduction in the asking price as your buyer mentally calculates all the work to be done. Your best bet is to handle these minor but noticeable repairs ahead of time.
2. DON’T Invest Unnecessarily
Don’t invest money in adding on space. You have no idea what your eventual buyer is looking for, so it’s best to work with what you have already and work within the confines of the walls you have. You need to make the home the best version of itself with smart choices to get the best ROI.
3. DO Update the Home With Fresh Finishes
DO strive for a clean, fresh, and consistent aesthetic in your home. The following is our essential go-to list for all of our property-prep. The “secret sauce” for your best ROI:
- Update all ceiling cans to a single style in a soft white LED retrofit fixture. This is super cost-effective, and you’ll be amazed at how much it freshens the home.
- Refresh your paint colors. Tired cabinet colors, dingy wall paint, or rooms painted in a decorating scheme from when you moved in will benefit from a coat of soft and fresh white or neutral paint colors.
- Replace all the light switches, and outlet covers with a new consistent color (white, please, no almond). Decorative lighting and new cans should be on dimmers.
- All doorknobs and hardware should be in the same finish. There is no right or wrong color and finish choice. The goal is that they match.
- Update cabinet hardware in your kitchen and bathrooms, preferably to match the faucet or other fixtures. These do not necessarily need to match the door hardware, but if you’re replacing them all, you might as well!
- Decorative lighting. Having great lighting throughout the home is one of the few ways to interject a little style. Well-selected light fixtures (and decorative plumbing) add perceived value to the house. Overhead lighting is needed, but decorative lighting is the finishing touch.
- Give every space a purpose, and don’t allow any area in the home to not work for you.
4. DON’T Leave the Home Unstaged
I would be remiss if I didn’t press on the importance of having a home staged properly. Well-furnished homes sell quickly and for more money.
Ultimately home buying is an emotional decision! Your buyers are longing to fall in love with their new HOME. There’s nothing welcoming about a big empty space. However, a room filled with soft things like rugs, sofas, lighting, pillows, plants, a table set for a family dinner, and a welcoming, cozy bedroom creates the mood your buyers are expecting in their forever home.
By giving them what they want, they’ll pay more, ask for less and close more quickly.
Ready to attract your dream buyer to the signing table? Contact us, and let’s get started.
Xoxo,
Pamela
