Although the housing market is starting to make a comeback, today is still a buyer’s market. I often tell my home owners we have to sell the sizzle. Let’s get started on 10 relatively easy steps you can take to help increase the opportunities to attract that perfect buyer for your home, i.e. give your home that extra sizzle.

Here are my top ten, low cost, sure fire ways to make your house stand out above the others for sale in your price range.

10. Remove excess junk and unneeded tools from the garage.

• Organize to best utilize the space in a neat usable manner.
• Can a car fit in the door or can you find the work bench?
• Make the garage look spacious and useful, not small and cluttered.

9. Make extra rooms look like delightful additions, not junk storage space.

• If it is a home office, organize and make it an appealing place for someone to work.
• Same goes for the guest bedroom or at home gym.

8. Make the Master Bedroom gender neutral.

• Decorate with neutral earth tone colors.
• Put away all personal things in the bedroom and bathroom.
• Organize the closet and clean out as much as possible; it will appear larger and…Bigger is Better.
• Freshen up bathrooms with new shower curtains/liners and fluffy new towels.
• If buyers are uncomfortable viewing the master suite, they are not comfortable making an offer. A little effort can make a huge difference. See the before and after photos of the master bedroom shown below.

Before:

After: (Puppy Optional)

7. Kitchen cabinet tops need to be cleared as much as possible.

• With the exception of fresh flowers or a bowl of fruit, if you do not need it, store it out of sight.
• Clean out drawers and cabinets; if they look over-filled or cluttered, it will give the appearance of being too small.
• Remove magnets, photos and other things attached to the refrigerator.
• Make certain the counter tops and appliances are wiped down with cleaner after each use.
• Freshen they kitchen with new coordinated hand and dish towel sets.

6. Stage your house for everyone’s taste.

• Clear away the clutter everywhere you see it.
• Rearrange your furniture to make it inviting. (Not just comfortable for watching TV.)
• Put away as many of your personal things as you can. Less is more when selling your home.
• Allow buyers to visualize living in your home, not see how your family makes this your home.
• Take out excess furniture. It makes the rooms appear more spacious and allows them to better see their own furnishings in the same space.
• Always remember light earth tone colors are more appealing to the majority of people; always a good choice when selling.

5. Get rid of any unpleasant smells.

• Clean kitty litter daily.
• Wash the dog bed and the dog.
• Be aware of smelly foods, tobacco products, moldy areas; these smells turn buyers off.
• Do not try to cover up by smells with a lot of perfumed air fresheners.

4. Clean, Clean, Clean.

• This will clear up most of the problems noted above in #5.
• Clean the windows, floors, carpets, tile grout, doors and cabinet fronts and jams.
• Clean out closets. (Yes, potential buyers do look and it does make a lasting impression on space.)
• If you see it, CLEAN IT.

3. Let in as much natural light as possible.

• Take down or open your drapes, including the sheers, during the day.
• Wash your windows as noted above and consider painting your walls a soft white color.
• Trim back the shrubbery from the windows. * Install high wattage bulbs.
• (After location, one of the top reasons buyers choose a particular home is the light.)

2. Entice buyers to want to take a look with CURB APPEAL.

• Welcome visitors with an inviting porch and a clean or freshly painted front door.
• Plant blooming flowers and fresh greenery.
• Keep a well-manicured, freshly mown lawn.
• Create outside, lifestyle environments such as a cozy front porch, back deck cook-out area, or comfortable seating overlooking the water.

1. The primary key to selling a home is to price it correctly.

• You can spend a lot of money fixing up and marketing your house, but if it is priced wrong the only guarantee is it will not sell.
• Developing the correct price requires specific information on the market in general and the real estate market in your community.

Let one of the Brokers at Mariner Realty prepare a free market evaluation to determine a competitive price for your home. Our evaluations include information regarding comparable homes that have sold recently in your area as well as prices and amenities of current houses on the market in direct competition with yours. Together, with your home ready to show, the correct price and an experienced team of agents, we will be successful in finding a buyer.