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Home sellers have enjoyed high demand and rising prices for homes listed in 2020 and 2021, but now the tide has turned. Buyer demand has slacked off in the face of these overprices, and to make matters worse, rising mortgage rates throughout 2022 mean someone looking to buy your home today would be considering an average mortgage rate of around double what it was, what they would have paid a year ago.
Despite that hurdle, life doesn’t wait for any of us, and it might be time to sell your home. If you want to attract the perfect buyer who will fall in love with your home and offer you a good price for it, remember to stage it with the tips below.
1. It’s all about that curb appeal
While you’re likely to get many potential buyers through the Multiple Listing Service (MLS) page that your real estate agent creates for you, it’s worth also targeting potential buyers who drive or walk around your neighborhood and are looking for “For Sale.” ‘ search ‘sign. To that end, you should pay special attention to the exterior of your home.
Spend some time tidying up your garden. Listing a home during the warmer months gives you more options to keep your lawn and landscaping looking great. If your landscaping is a little sparse, spend some money and time sourcing new plants and flowers. And consider using a pressure washer on the outside of your home, as well as on outdoor fixtures like plastic patio furniture.
2. Greet shoppers with your front entrance
Your front entrance also adds to the appeal of your home. Consider repainting your front door if it’s looking a bit dingy and maybe add a decorative wreath. Potted plants and flowers can also make your porch or front stair prettier.
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3. Clean and clean some more
Now it’s time to give your home a deep clean. Pay attention to the little details that might not otherwise bother you if you’re cleaning just for you. That means taking a look at your baseboards, the corners of your ceilings, and everything in between. Be extra cautious in your kitchen and bathroom, as dirty areas are a real deterrent to buyers.
4. Bring in the light
Is your home well lit? This may be due to the selection and placement of lighting fixtures, or the abundance of windows (ideally at least some of them facing south to capture as much natural light as possible in the northern hemisphere). When staging the sale, it’s a good idea to highlight these characteristics. Clean your chandelier, wash those windows, and when setting up for an open house (or real estate photos), make sure you light the house well.
5. Think appealingly—but impersonally
Finally, take this opportunity to start packing. Focus especially on those personal items, like family photos on the walls, children’s toys, and anything that strongly defines the home with your personality and lifestyle. You don’t want to leave the house bare and empty, but you do want potential buyers to be able to picture their vacation photos on the mantel and their kids’ playhouse in the backyard. Consider renting a storage unit to keep some of your belongings safe until it’s time to move out (and as a bonus, it’s a lot easier to load a moving truck straight from a storage unit).
Don’t be discouraged just because houses in your neighborhood are no longer being auctioned the day they are listed (and for far more than just asking for them). Follow the steps above to help your home stay competitive in this challenging market.
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