If you want to sell your home faster, you don’t necessarily have to spend a lot of money before putting your property on the market. If walls are painted neutral colors and no repairs are needed, a few simple cosmetic changes can improve your home’s potential for attracting good offers fast. Here are five purely cosmetic changes that can be made at little or no cost.

1. Clear The Floor

Showing as much of your floors as possible highlights the quality of flooring materials while also making the space appear larger. Remove unnecessary furniture and decorations – less is better! Nothing should touch the floor but furniture legs and small rugs that enhance the visual appeal of the room. Apply this approach to all rooms – living room, dining room, kitchen, bedrooms – everywhere, including the garage! If possible, get everything off the floor in closets, too.

2. Clear Counters, Tabletops And Other Surfaces

Same logic that applies to floors applies to raised surfaces. If you have great kitchen counters, don’t cover them with kitchen appliances and decorations. Remove everything so the quality and spaciousness shines through. Even though you’re (probably) not selling your coffee tables and end tables with the home, loading them up with knickknacks and picture frames adds clutter that distracts from a room’s best features. Box up the extra items and move them out!

3. Clear The Walls

Let’s extend de-cluttering to your walls. Walls covered in framed photos appear cluttered and hide the size of the wall just as much as a kitchen counter can be hidden by blenders, napkin holders and fruit baskets. 

4. Let The Light Shine

Light is the key to seeing anything – including the best features of your home. When preparing for showings, pull back curtains, open blinds, and maximize the beneficial effects of sunlight. In spaces sunlight can’t reach, place lamps strategically to showcase selling features.

5. Provide A Breath Of Fresh Air

Most homes are host to odors that may be pleasant, but may not be neutral. Introduce neutral fragrances that are considered appropriate to the home’s location. For example, a gentle aroma of pine might be appropriate in the north woods, but wouldn’t be logical in the Arizona desert. We often use Glade plugins such as Hawaiian Breeze or Aqua Waves to clear odors after tenants move out of rentals because these plugins have a pleasant, neutral scent that is strong enough to remove offensive odors. Glade scents also tend not to linger, so new tenants are free to enjoy their scent of choice when they move in. Many real estate professionals recommend baking bread or cookies or even simmering a sauce pan full of apple cider and cinnamon sticks prior to showings. Consult with your broker regarding which, if any, scent should be introduced into your home to improve appeal.

These five simple tasks can help sell your home faster and, hopefully, for the best price and terms.

Have questions about how to prepare your property for sale? Whether it’s your home, rental or a parcel of land, we’re glad to help. Contact Us.