Things to do to help house sell?

Question

I have a townhome thats going up for sale Friday. Its in FL and the market is awful here. Its a small 2bdr with loft and we are a family of 5. (See why we're desperate to sell lol) Just had baby not too long ago. Needless to say, we have a LOT of stuff crammed into this tiny place. Ive cleared as much clutter and items that arent necessary as possible. Ive tried to make the place look bigger, but Im out of ideas. What are some things I can do to make it like a "model home". What are things that people look for that might turn them off or on? Any input will help..Im open to anything....without spending tons of money of course :) Thanks

Answer 1

There's a show on HGTV (if you get cable) called "Designed to sell" which deals with this very topic.  Each episode, they look at a house, and put some money into fixing it up to help sell - oftentimes at a higher price (and making back the cash they put in at the beginning.)

Common things they do include:

*Declutter.  Don't have tons of stuff crammed into the bookshelves or closets.  A bookshelf with a few books on it will make it seem like there's more room in the house, for instance.  This also goes for the rooms as well.  Get rid of most of your furniture (put the stuff in storage, or into the garage.)  Simple is better.  Gives the people a better idea of what they can do with the space.  Other things to clean up include childrens' toys (messy/cluttered looking) and personal photos (you want the perspective owners to see the space as THEIRS not yours.)

* Paint.  Painting the interior walls a nice neutral color helps the place look newer, cleaner, and brighter.  Yes, you may love that bright flaming red on the accent wall, but you won't be living there anymore (not for long, hopefully...) so paint it.  This is also a great way to take care of any dirty or damaged walls as well.

* Make repairs.  Make sure everything works (faucets, lights) and repair any glaring things like cracks in the walls/ceilings, mildew - anything that would cause you, as a buyer, to reconsider buying the place.

* Consider some upgrades.  Simply putting in a new floor or countertop in the kitchen can make a big difference - and can easily raise the asking price of your house.  You don't have to fancy - even simple linoleum flooring, and laminate countertops can make a big difference for a small price.  Ditto for the appliances.  Installing a new, but inexpensive, dishwasher for instance can be enticing to buyers.

* It's often easier to replace than to clean.  This goes for carpets, grout in the bathroom, etc.  In fact, if you have hardwood under your carpets and it's in good shape, you may want to just yank the carpet completely - hardwood is more popular with buyers right now anyways.  If you don't have hardwood underneath, Pergo flooring is a cheap and attractive alternative you can put in yourself.

Answer 2

Model homes are neutral but cozy. You’ll see subdued paint colors, fresh flowers, neutral home décor (not family photos), tables set with plates, linens, etc., fluffy white towels & pretty products in the bathrooms.

People are looking for clean & modern. I’m sure it’s hard to keep a small space with little kids tidy, but it’s a must. A dirty house tells a buyer that you don’t care about keeping up your home (whether it’s true or not). Anything remotely outdated, even if it’s just an 80s style sofa gives the impression that your home isn’t updated. Slip covers might be good options if your upholstered furniture has seen better days.

I think renting one of those mobile storage units would be a great idea. Cut your older kids down to just a few toys and pack up the rest. I would get a plastic tote for each kid. At the end of each day, each kid has to put all of their stuff, bath toys included, into that tote, so it can be put away.

When I think two bedroom townhouse, I think single person or young couple.  It’s not like you can eliminate every trace of kid, but keeping the kid stuff to a minimum can help your non-parent (and not looking to become a parent) buyers see themselves in the house.

And lastly, don’t forget about proper pricing. If you’ve been on the market for more than a few months, it’s time for your agent to run a new CMA to make sure your price is inline with what other units have been selling for.

Answer 3

Get a storage unit and cram as much of your useless clutter into the unit.  You're going to have to move it eventually, you can start now.  No one wants a cramped looking house.  That should cost around $100/mo.  Then keep it immaculate.

Answer 4

I just think the two most important rooms in the house is the kit. and bath.............clean it up as best as possible and sell it.........with that many people in there........all you can hope for is that everyone is doing his best to clean........

Answer 5

Basic things in each room...bed/dresser in bedrooms, couch tv etc in living rooms.  You want a "great for a young couple with or without children" feel to your home, not a "brady bunch lives here" feel.

Paint the rooms if they need it...fresh paint will do wonders.

If things need replaced...then replace them.  People would rather move into a place that doesn't need "fixed", then one that does.

Do NOT burn scented candles or use scented air sprays if someone is going to come to the house to view it....they might think you are trying to hide a nasty odor.

Trim bushes/trees, buy cheap flowers & plant them too...make the place look liveable.

Answer 6

clear the closets - they will look bigger, keep your house spotless clean and smell nice, and  down payment assistance for the buyer and something extra to the buyer agent like extra commission or maybe ticket for weekend in Las Vegas? ( of course in legal way and if you can afford)