Four Secrets to Selling Your Home for a Higher Price

If you’re getting ready to sell your house in Spokane, Washington, and don’t want to settle for a lower price than you deserve, you need to know how to sell your house in this current market. With the right real estate agent and a few aesthetic updates, you can list your home, get the best price in a reasonable time frame, and move on to the next chapter of your life.

Contrary to what you may believe, you don’t have to spend a fortune to spruce up your home. As with any investment, the critical question is how much return you will get on that investment. If putting $5000 into your house to prep it for sale means you can up your asking price by $7500, that’s a 50% return! But the financial investment is just part of the picture. The real bonus is that an attractive house predisposes potential buyers to favor it, which means more people will be willing to give your home a serious look. This will provide you with more opportunities to make a sale.

1. Invest in Curb Appeal

A home’s exterior is always critical to making a sale because what buyers see when they drive up to your house will influence how they view the rest of your house. If buyers drive up to your house and find it attractive on the outside, they’ll want to see more. If your home leaves them less than impressed, the opposite will happen. If you are in the latter category, it’s time to make a change. 

Here are some easy and inexpensive improvements you can make to your exterior:

• Plant low-maintenance plants like ornamental grasses, flowering shrubs, or a few shade trees in spots that will add color, structure, and depth to your yard
• Update your house’s light fixtures, and install landscape lighting for pathways and trees
• Repaint your front door or, if it is outdated or in bad shape, install a new one with an attractive design
• Add container plants to strategic locations
• Place inviting furniture on the front porch, with new, bright cushions and a rug
• Powerwash your house and make sure your windows and house appointments are clean and in good repair
• Repair or replace broken or cracked walkways, sidewalks, or steps, or put in a stepping-stone walkway
• If necessary, patch your lawn and remove weeds from lawns and flower beds

Once you have made improvements, maintain your yard and keep things clean and bright. If you need more ideas of what to do, drive through nice neighborhoods nearby to see what other homeowners have done to make their homes attractive. Remember to keep your theme consistent: if your home has a particular style, such as craftsman or Victorian, keep landscaping touches in line with the style of the house. 

2. Declutter

Removing clutter is always an essential step in helping your house to sell, but decluttering goes far beyond just hiding your dirty clothes and personal toiletries when a showing is scheduled. 

Outside, remove lawn ornaments, cute flags or signs, hoses, unused pots, junk, toys, and other items that give your house a “used” look. Inside, remove photos, small decorative items, and crowded furnishings and “stuff.” When you eliminate things that make the house look “lived in,” buyers are more likely to envision themselves in the house. While you may think it makes the house look cold or impersonal, remember that people are generally uncomfortable when they feel they are intruding into someone else’s space. Your goal is to make them feel like they could plop themselves down on the sofa as if the home already belonged to them.

3. Repaint

A good coat of paint goes a long way when it comes to improving the look of a home. Repainting is a relatively inexpensive upgrade if you are willing to do the prep work. Painting your home’s exterior a neutral color can help draw in buyers, and the repainting should also extend indoors. But don’t go too bright or eclectic. Often, you can discover effective home color trends by looking through home magazines. 

When it comes to the interior, you don’t have to pick a bland white. Instead, opt for warm neutral colors that are not too bold. Most buyers want colors that will adapt to their decorating style, and warm neutrals generally work with different tastes. Fresh paint always makes a room look brand new.

4. Enlist the Right Selling Agent

Selling your home on your own is always possible. Still, you may find that it is not so easy to pocket the kind of profit that you could get if you had an experienced real estate agent doing the work for you. The right agent will know the market and can provide additional tips on what changes you should make to ensure you can demand top dollar. A real estate agent will also share your listing with other agents so that it will reach a much broader market. 

If you are ready to sell your home and want to get started without delay, we can help. The right agent can make your home sale seamless, timely, stress-free, and profitable. Contact The Legacy Group Real Estate today to learn more.