Northern Virginia Home Sellers: Don’t Overlook These!
Before putting your Northern Virginia home up for sale, there is a lot of prep work to do to make your home ready. Even if you replace all the windows and doors, clean until it’s spotless, and stage rooms, there might be something not quite right. Potential homebuyers can be unpredictable, and even if your home looks perfect, it could be subtle details that are keeping your home on the market. To help your home sell quicker, here are a few tips to give you that something “extra” to help set you apart from other Northern Virginia home sellers.
Home Appeal: First, you have to get the attention of buyers with a strong curb appeal. This is the easy part. Have your lawn neatly cared for – mow and trim the edges, rake the leaves, pull all the weeds. Also, it can be helpful to plant flowers around the trees or by the front of the house. Flowers can add bright colors to a home. Don’t forget to utilize the extra yard on the side of the house with a small kitchen garden or sitting area.
As potential buyers walk up to your home, greet them with a new welcome mat outside the front door. Make sure the front door also looks fresh – repaint if necessary, wipe down the knocker and handles. Updated light fixtures also add to the overall appearance of your home. Once inside, it’s your chance to hook them with the home appeal. Brighten up your rooms with fresh paint on the trim, and wash the walls to remove any scuff marks. Use paint to brighten up rooms, or paint adjacent rooms the same color to give the appearance of a larger room.
Make it Feel Like Home: Set the mood right away by using soft light in place of bright white lights. The soft light gives the impression of a comforting place. Also, use scented candles to increase the “home” atmosphere. Candles can be especially helpful in creating a “home” atmosphere in the kitchen (such as fresh baked cookies!), as well as in the bathroom and bedrooms. Use inviting scents, such as vanilla and lavender, to give a feel of relaxation.
Show off Storage Space: When people walk through for an open house, you can bet that they will be going through cupboards and other storage spaces. Use this opportunity to show potential storage possibilities. For example, install shelving units in the laundry room to provide space to store baskets and detergent. You can also put a shoe rack in the closet, along with storage containers to hold things such as umbrellas, hats, and gloves. A place that is often overlooked by homeowners is the garage. Set up a place to store yard tools, both large and small. You can also include a shelving unit to store boots, hoses, and other hand-held tools.
As Northern Virginia home sellers, paying attention to the fine details is just as important as the bigger picture ones. Don’t forget to take these into account before putting your home on the market!