Sellers: Maximize Your Home Value

Maximizing your Home

Selling, or planning on selling your home? Here is a list of 5 things to consider if you are interested in maximizing your home\’s profit and taking the faster track to the closing table.

1. First impressions count

In home selling, as in life, first impressions count! Expert advice: try to make a good impression from the moment a potential buyer pulls up to the house. First glimpses of the home will include the home\'s exterior, the landscaping, the gutters and the front door. Pay attention to the details, such as peeling trim or a cracked window, clutter on the porch, lawn care. Is your home exterior or trim an oddball color? You could be losing buyers before they even step inside. Don\'t underestimate the importance of good lawn care, either.

2. Neutralize and declutter

When it comes to preparing your home\'s interior for sale, opt for more neutral colors whenever you can. Neutral colors, including beige and ivory, can also have an added advantage of making a room appear larger. Removing a home\'s clutter is also extremely important in getting potential buyers to imagine their family living in the house. Do some basic spring cleaning: Shampoo the carpets, rebuff hardwood floors and oil any wood cabinetry.

3. Consider replacement projects

Sellers might also consider having a home inspection done prior to listing the home, as a way to detect any overdue replacement projects. A seller has the option of either fixing the problem or discounting the price. Eventually your buyers are going to conduct an inspection. You may as well know what they are going to find by getting there first. Having an inspection performed ahead of time helps in many other ways.

4. Kitchens and bathrooms rule

It's no secret that buyers tend to be awed by updated kitchens and bathrooms. If kitchen cabinets are structurally fine but their exteriors are outdated, it might be worth it to reface rather than replace them.

5. Warranty coverage and documentation

Sellers can provide some extra peace of mind to buyers by purchasing a home warranty on their home that will cover such things as heating and plumbing should the buyer run into problems after closing.