Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Life

Tag: selling tips

  • How to Refresh Your Home for a Quick Sell

    Are you planning to sell your home but unsure what repairs or updates to make before you list? While it’s wise to tend to fixes and upgrades prior to putting your home on the market, you need to think carefully about what to makeover if you want to attract buyers and get the most money from your sale.

    Experts agree that checking comparative properties and considering your return on investment is an excellent initial step in deciding how to refresh your home for a quick sell. Since every home seller has different circumstances, we’ve compiled a list of general guidelines to help you figure out what you might want to renovate.

    Here are some of the fastest and most affordable ways to update your home for a quick sell in the new year.

    Freshen Up Paint

    Real estate agents frequently advise clients to paint their homes before they sell. Scratches, scuffs, chips, and peeling areas accumulate over the years, and while the homeowner may not notice them, buyers typically do. Additionally, many homes’ paint colors are faded, outdated, and unattractive to modern buyers. You don’t have to have a huge renovation budget to invest in a new coat of interior or exterior paint. If money is tight, find a good and affordable one-coat paint and then choose a neutral color to create a blank canvas for buyers. Freshly painted properties often sell quicker and command top dollar.

    Declutter

    Cluttered homes tend to look disorganized and unkept, and they can prevent a buyer from seeing a property’s full potential. Decluttering, therefore, is one of the most effective refreshes you can make before you sell and it’s one of the cheapest. To declutter your home and turn it into a space that buyers can envision as their own, go from room to room, eliminating anything unnecessary. Store, give, or throw away knickknacks, furniture, and other personal belongings that you don’t use or that don’t add to the picture you want to paint for a future buyer. Think about model homes you’ve been in or staged rooms you’ve seen in magazines. This is the image you need to present to buyers if you want to sell your home fast. Don’t forget to declutter drawers, cupboards, and closets and organize what’s left.

    Maximize Curb Appeal

    Maximize your home’s curb appeal if you want to sell quickly. You can get a realistic look at how your property’s exterior appears to potential buyers by walking the route leading from the street to your front door. Stand from a distance and inspect your house numbers, mailbox, garage door, gutters, walkway or entry steps, porch or deck, and front door. Pay close attention to landscaping, exterior lighting, railings, and fixtures like door knobs and doorbells. Does anything need to be fixed or refreshed? How can you make your home stand out from the crowd, either in cleanliness or design?

    Update Window Treatments

    New window treatments make a massive difference in how a home presents to potential buyers. Old, antiquated, and torn or broken blinds, curtains, and shades can make an otherwise acceptable property look outdated and even like a fixer-upper. For a small investment, you can update your window treatments to modern versions that help brighten a room and delight buyers. When choosing new window coverings, consider options that allow privacy while letting natural light in. Also, take note of the new smart designs with high-tech and hands-off controls for ease and efficiency.

    Remodel Your Kitchen

    Remodeling a kitchen returns 98.5% of a homeowner’s investment and promotes a quick sell. Even if you don’t want to or can’t do an extensive kitchen makeover, consider a minor refresh with a new backsplash, coat of cabinet paint, hardware set, major appliance, or statement light fixture. New kitchen tile can make the difference between a dated space and a modern room that’s ready for a new buyer.

    Focus on Fixtures

    Great lighting makes a massive impact and produces a ‘wow’ factor that can convince buyers your home is what they’re looking for. Today’s lighting trends include textured and subtle pendant lights, hidden lights, and mixed-metal fixtures. When refreshing the lighting in your home, remember to ensure all bulbs match. Additionally, for a fast sell, focus on refreshing door knobs, electrical outlets, cabinet hardware, and faucets. Replace any that are dented, scratched, not working, or past their prime in appearance in any way.

    Ready to start prepping your home for a quick sale this year? Let Better Homes & Gardens Real Estate® help.

  • Market to Market

    Here’s what Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate agents across the country are seeing in local markets.

    Based on the article “Owning It” in Better Homes & Gardens magazine, October 2023 issue.

    Will Palmer
    THOMASVILLE, GA
    “Homeowners should ask themselves: Are we doing the home improvement project for ourselves or are we doing it for resale? These are two vastly different things. If the seller is doing projects to sell the home—smaller projects like painting or freshened entries or porches—the reward will be almost immediate. Seller need to pick materials and projects that appeal to everyone and keep in mind they are doing it for return on investment, not for themselves.”

    Dot Frank
    BISMARCK, N D
    “Although house hunters should invest plenty of time ensuring a home’s foundation, appliances, shingles, and windows are in working order, it’s easier to get excited about pretty fixtures, contemporary paint colors, and modern flooring. If your home’s structure and systems are solid, turn your attention to the lowcost items that turn heads and offer a high return on investment, like fixtures, paint, and flooring. Projects that result in the lowest return are often those that are personal and involve continued maintenance, such as sunrooms or pools. Busy wallpaper and trendy tile also can cause buyers to bemoan the work they envision to remove and replace it.”

    Carol M. Buchanan
    WARWICK, N Y
    “My general rule is this: Put as little money as possible into getting your home ready to go on the market. If you replace all the carpet in the house, costing you several thousand dollars, realize the buyer may pull everything out and install wood floors. Your cabinet choice in the kitchen may not be a buyer’s taste either, so you don’t want to go to that expense.”

    Sunday Nguyen
    BERKELEY, CA
    “What excites buyers right now are turnkey homes with wood finishes, grand living rooms, office space for working from home, and walk-in closets. Beyond that, replacing fixtures (such as faucets, interior door handles and hinges, and wall/ ceiling LED lights) and improving curb appeal through landscaping can increase a home’s value and attractiveness to potential buyers.”

    Crystal Ledbetter
    CARY, N C
    “Most garage doors are front facing and can add or diminish curb appeal. Invest in a beautiful one. When you’re ready to sell, a deep professional cleaning is advised. I wouldn’t remodel right before selling; leave that for the new owners.”

    Randy Kennedy
    CELEBRATION, FL
    “A homeowner should look at their neighborhood before beginning a huge remodel. You don’t want to have the fanciest house in the neighborhood. Insurance companies in Florida now look at the age of the water heater and will make you replace that sooner than later. They will not insure a roof over 15 years old either. Many times, these items become financial concessions at closing. Also very few of my buyers like carpet, and most are suspicious of HVAC systems over 10 years old.”

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    Remodel for yourself, not to sell your house. If you take on a project in order to sell, you’ll rarely get your money out of it. Making improvements benefits the buyer, not the seller.
    —CLAIRE WARREN, BHG real estate agent in Houston

    Sal Rondinelli
    CHARLOTTE, NC
    “The best returns on curb appeal come from professionally designed landscaping, as the average homeowner may be tempted to overcrowd small spaces or not create enough visual impact with large spaces. Beyond that, affordability excites buyers now. Great values reign supreme. Updated kitchens and bathrooms, energy-efficient appliances, and smart home technologies are attractive to buyers. Before remodeling a basement, make sure you understand the moisture levels in your house. You may need a professional to seal the area and install systems to keep the moisture down before you ever begin putting up walls.”

  • Seven Reasons Getting Rid of Clutter Helps a House Sell Faster

    Whether you bought a starter home or what you hoped would be a forever home, circumstances change. One thing that doesn’t change though, is the inevitable expansion that occurs when you become a homeowner. As time goes on, you acquire tools that need to be used just once or twice a year, like step ladders and extension ladders, lawn mowers, edgers and leaf blowers. When it’s time to sell, you may find you’ve expanded just a bit too much. Getting rid of clutter is the first thing you need to do when you’re thinking of putting your home on the market, and sadly, unless you move frequently, there are very few people who don’t accumulate more than they should.

    Here are seven reasons you need to get rid of that clutter to ensure a quick home sale.

    Minimalistic spacious house interior with two floors
    Minimalistic spacious house interior with two floors

    1. It’s all about imagined lives

    Clutter makes it hard to think. You may not think of your collection of exotic masks from your foreign travels as clutter. But let’s face it, we don’t all like the same things, and if your home is bursting with small objects, buyers can’t imagine themselves in your space. You have to make room for them and their imagined lives in what might soon be their home rather than yours. Store the highly personal collections during the selling process so buyers can see the space as theirs, and they’ll be more likely to make an immediate offer.

    2. Help the potential buyer maintain focus

    Extra seating, family photos and bone china tea cup collections are all distractions. You don’t want potential buyers to become so intrigued (or puzzled) by the things you’ve collected—none of which they’ll be purchasing—that they don’t actually register the house itself. You want them to look at the space, appreciate its best features and become convinced of its potential for their family.

    Built in closet with warderobe in home interior
    Built in closet with warderobe in home interior

    3. Create the illusion of space to entice buyers

    By getting rid of extra seating, paring down the clothes in your closets and weeding out everything in the pantry that’s past its best-before date, you create the illusion of more space, which is always a good thing when trying to sell a home. After all, empty rooms always look bigger than rooms filled with furniture.

    Be strategic, though, and don’t leave yourself with nowhere to sit. Think of your home as wearing its Sunday best rather than sweats and a t-shirt, and if there’s a chair the cat’s clawed, the sun has faded or that needs cleaning or reupholstering, get it out of the house while potential buyers are viewing. There will be plenty of time to kick back and relax in that past-its-prime lounger when you’re moved into your new home.

    4. Well-staged homes photograph better

    While you might get a viewing from a drive-by or after an open house, most potential buyers these days are going to look at your house and its listing online. Good photos make all the difference here, but you’re not going to get them if you haven’t decluttered. Put the family photos away, get all the toys into the toy box, remove the gym equipment that’s migrated from the basement to other living areas and make your real estate agent’s job easier by presenting a home that shows to advantage in both photos and real life.

    white and steel kitchen interior

    5. Maximize kitchen counter space

    Yes, it’s a pain. But even though your family uses the toaster and blender every day, putting them away in cupboards before viewings provides a clean slate and makes potential home buyers think about all the meals they’re going to prepare in their new home.

    If your home’s being shown to first-time home buyers, chances are good they’re looking for more space, particularly an opportunity to expand from a galley kitchen to one that has room for a table and chairs. Help them believe they’re going to be transformed into hosts with the most when they buy your home by giving them the visual space they need.

    6. Don’t borrow trouble

    Cluttered homes make potential buyers uneasy. Viewing someone else’s occupied home is slightly uncomfortable for most people. Clutter is not only a distraction; it makes your home look uncared for. This can make potential buyers start to ask themselves, “if they haven’t taken care of their possessions, what other problems are brewing here?” You could lose an offer if this kind of nebulous doubt sets in.

    7. Let your home show itself

    Let’s face it—you’re selling your home, not the couch and coffee table. By getting rid of clutter and replacing it with neutral but stylish accessories, you lead the buyer’s eye to the features of your home that are its true selling points. That means you’re going to get a quicker sale and a higher price than if you make a potential buyer struggle to see your home’s merits.

  • Top 5 Fixes to Sell Your Home

    No one wants to spend money on a home they aren’t going to be living in, so when it comes time to prep your house for the market, you may wonder what kind of fixes will bring the most value to your home without breaking the bank. Consider making these five fixes to help your property sell.

    Top 5 Fixes to Sell Your Home - bhgrelife.com1. Paint the walls

    A bucket of paint doesn’t have to break the bank, and can make a world of difference. Tone down any vibrant wall colors and spruce up the other walls with a fresh coat of neutral paint. Avoid any tones that are intense and dark to ensure that your home appeals to the widest range of people.

  • How to Attract Millennial Home Buyers

    Millennials are those born between the 1980s and the early 2000s, and they currently make up the largest generation of homebuyers in the market today.  These tech-savvy, multi-tasking, enterprising individuals have distinct ideals in mind when it comes to their homes. And many home sellers are starting to think about how they can cater to the needs of this enormous population of  Millennial home buyers.

    Tech-Heavy Lifestyles

    One defining characteristic of the Millennial generation is that they grew up with technology.  Many were “plugged in” from the day they were born. To these individuals, technology is not just a luxury, but it’s a necessity. Your home needs to be technologically friendly in order to appeal to these buyers. Many Millennial home buyers would like the option of installing an entertainment center, television set, or desktop computer in every room of their home.

    How can you accommodate this? As you consider improvements and upgrades, think about how to integrate practical technology into your home. For instance, you can install a simple home automation system like a programmable thermostat that can be linked to your smart phone. Home automation is important to young homebuyers, as 41 percent of Millennials who were surveyed by Better Homes and Gardens indicated they would brag about a home automation system over a renovated kitchen. If you’re going to renovate the kitchen, or any other room in the home, you may want to incorporate home automation updates as well.

    Fixer-Uppers are OK

    If you would describe your home as a “fixer upper,” you might feel as though you need to tackle those fixes now, but you’d be surprised to learn that many Millennial home buyers actually appreciate the challenge as well as the affordability of fixer-uppers.  Millennials are known to be scouring garage sales and thrift stores in order to find vintage furnishings that they can refurnish and personalize themselves. Often referred to as the “DIY generation,” Millennials are more willing to take on the challenge of revamping a shabby home themselves.

    Additionally, this generation is known to be the most educated, but also the most indebted, largely due to student loans. Many Millennials have been delaying their home purchase in order to pay off their student loans during the past decade or so.  Although more and more Millennials are starting to enter into the real estate market, they are not able to make huge purchases. Unlike the Baby Boomer generation, many Millennials are currently looking for starter homes.  If you want to meet the budget needs of these first-time homebuyers, you may want to trim down the price and leave some of the fixes to the new buyer.  Selling your home “as is” for a lower price might be a strategy worth discussing with your agent if you are targeting this demographic. It just might improve the appeal when selling your home.

    Break Out of the Mold

    Millennials want a unique home with character. As you consider improvements and upgrades to help your home stand out on the current market, consider what you can do to break out of the cookie cutter mold in your neighborhood.

    More Conscious of Their Environment

    If you are selling your home, you want to go green. The incoming generation of home buyers are more concerned about the environment, hazards to their health and the health of their children.  Millennials are not only more aware of environmental concerns but are more interested in green building techniques. Low-VOC finishes, energy-efficient appliances and HVAC systems, as well as environmentally responsible building materials are all important to these buyers. Adding green features to your home may improve your home’s salability.

    Remember, Millennials are unlike any other generation.  They are buying homes in considerable numbers this year, and with the president’s student loan relief plan, many more are expected to enter into the market. If you are thinking about selling your home, be sure to consider the needs, interests and wants of this powerful generation of buyers.

  • Home Sellers Checklist for Closing on a Home

    Selling your home can be a long and complicated process. If you have entered into an agreement for the sale of your home, you are almost to the finish line! The last step in the process should be closing on a home. This is where title to the home is legally transferred from the seller to the buyer. Although there will be some variance from one state to the next with regard to who is present at a closing and how the closing proceeds, there are some commonalities as well. As a rule, home sellers, home buyers, as well as their respective agents, must be present at the closing. In addition, a closing agent who works for the title company or lender is usually present along with a representative from the lender and the title company. Either or both side may also bring an attorney on the day of closing. In order to ensure that you are prepared for the big day, home sellers may wish to use the following checklist as a guide.

    • Request a payoff statement for each lien or encumbrance that currently exists on the property. If you have a mortgage on the property, contact your lender for the payoff statement. Other liens or encumbrances may turn up when the title search is conducted. These must be addressed prior to, or at, the closing. Your Better Homes and Gardens® Real Estate agent can assist you if you are uncertain how to request the necessary information.
    • Make any repairs that were agreed upon pursuant to the sales agreement. This should be completed prior to the final walk through by the home sellers.
    • Attend the walk-through before the closing. Most states allow/require a final walk-through within 24 hours prior to the closing. Although this is intended to be for the benefit of the buyer, you can take this opportunity to pass on any quirks or insider information regarding the home to the buyers. You will also want to be present in case any issues arise at the last minute with regard to the condition of the home or any repairs that have been completed.
    • Contact utility companies ahead of time to arrange for shut-off of services. If you have received a final bill prior to closing, bring that with you to show that you have turned off or transferred the services. On the day of closing, you should go through the house and physically shut-off valves.
    • Assemble warranties and manuals to pass on to the buyers. If the sale includes appliances or anything else that comes with a manual or warranty you should put those together to give to the new owners.
    • Bring your copies of all important documents to the closing. Although copies may be provided for you at the closing, it is best to come prepared. While there may be additional documents required at your specific closing, some common documents that you should have with you include: sales contract, title search, appraisal, inspection report, and disclosures.
    Because each closing is as unique as the property being sold, be sure to consult with your Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate agent to be certain that you are fully prepared for your closing when the day finally arrives.