The first rule in home selling is to know your typical buyer. What most buyers would want to have in their homes is what will eventually sell it. How soon – this depends on how well it fits their needs. While you can’t fulfill everybody’s wishes, some features make your home sell faster than others.
What Buyers Want
You don’t have to get inside your buyer’s mind. Luckily, tips for selling a home are numerous and easy to find. They are based on surveys and statistics and are usually related to a specific market. While steam ovens and floor heating may be a good add-on to an upscale home, those upgrades simply won’t pay off for most sellers. What the majority of people want is a reliable, good-looking, practical, comfortable, and affordable home. The most common features that would make your home sell faster are
- Curb Appeal
- Ample Storage Space
- Sufficient Bedrooms
- Eat-in Kitchen
- Fresh Paint
- Energy-efficient Appliances & Windows
- Off-road Parking
- Renovated Bathrooms
- Hardwood Floors
- Modern Lighting
Start With Entrance
The first step to boost the appeal would be to declutter your home, which also applies to your yard if you have it. If the exterior of your house is impressive enough, only then the prospective buyer will come inside and check the rest. To sell your home faster, you need to show to your buyer that you took good care of your home. Nothing shouts good maintenance like a neat exterior.
You might not have enough space for a garden, however, even a small secluded patio with a pair of garden chairs or loungers and potted plants can create the feel of a cozy getaway that most new homeowners look for.
Room for the things
There aren’t many who can say that they have too much storage space. Those who need extra storage simply call Verified Movers and rent a storage facility but there is another option. With the help of experts, it is possible to create extra storage and exploit otherwise underutilized space. Additional space for belongings is especially important to families with kids because they have plenty of useful things they don’t want to dispose of even if they’re used only occasionally.
Walk-in pantry
In case there is enough extra space, usually 5×5 feet, creating a walk-in pantry in the kitchen is a big bonus. Non-perishables stored at the arms reach is something most would prefer. Even more so because they can save on the deals of bulk purchases. Walk-in pantries are affordable add-ons highly appreciated by families.
Walk-in closet
On the other hand, walk-in closets are added to master bedrooms and are perfect for empty-nesters in love with neatly organized apparel, jewelry, and accessories. This feature can be made as a part of the existing bedroom or placed in a separate, smaller room. Organizers and many shelving units are worth their price. Walk-in closets are perfect for couples who share storage space and are highly ranked among other features.
That extra bedroom
Nothing attracts buyers more than a cozy extra bedroom. A guest bedroom is best suited for loft space. After all, having a new bedroom in the attic is much better than blocking the garage. If you opt for the renovation of your loft space, consider adding a new small bathroom or at least a WC.
Hearth of your home
Making an eat-in kitchen would leave a good impression on families with children. Resurfacing cabinets and repainting walls is the least you can do to make your kitchen more attractive. A new trend and a highly popular and affordable one is adding lighting under cabinets. The effect is to give your kitchen depth and visually make the ceiling higher.
There is nothing as attractive as new appliances so the first and most important on the list should be a fridge. Prospective buyers are impressed with spacious and clean refrigerators as this is the appliance they will use the most.
A new coat
The most affordable and yet the best investment is fresh paint. Repainting your walls and ceilings and adding a new coat on the outside leaves a good first impression. Natural lighting is one of the most beneficial features a home could have. Bright walls that reflect natural light will make space visually larger and have a good psychological effect on visitors. If you wish to attract buyers moving to Virginia from another state, for example, you should stick to neutral colors, appealing to many.
Energy-efficient walls, windows, and appliances
If nothing else makes people care about the environment it’s the savings they secure by installing energy-efficient windows, adding insulation to their walls and purchasing energy star rated appliances. Any of these features would greatly appeal to millennials. They are both environmentally and financially conscious. Keeping the heat inside will help them keep their cool, too.
Room for your car
It is difficult to imagine getting anywhere without a car nowadays and having an (at least one) parking slot is a big asset to a home. If your garage space has been repurposed, make sure that you keep at least one off-road parking slot.
One of the first things buyers ask the real estate agents is if there’s a garage/parking space available. You too might need to hire a lawyer or a real estate agent if you’re buying a new property at the same time you’re selling. A garage can serve as additional storage and as such is indispensable.
Fresh & Clean
A tidy and crisp bathroom is a feature no one is immune to, and refurbishing one is a must. A bathroom is perhaps the only room in the house that is easy to look luxurious and impressive with a relatively small investment.
Hardwood floors
Hardwood floors are durable and lasting and as a feature, they appeal to everybody. And why not; they are easy to maintain and keep clean.
Interior and exterior lighting
Modern exterior lighting is an add-on that sets your house apart. While an exterior illumination boosts your curb appeal, interior lighting is an affordable feature that will make your home sell faster.
Whether you’re looking for homes for sale in Fredericksburg, Stafford, Orange, Locust Grove, Norther Virginia or even Maryland or DC, we are your Real Estate team committed to finding the perfect home for you! Thinking of selling? In any market condition, “what is my home worth?” is the #1 question asked by homeowners. If you wish to sell your home, it needs to be sold for top dollar, and in a timely manner. Pricing your home accurately, one of our area expert advisors will partner with you to make the selling process so much easier. Get started today by calling us at (540) 388-2541 or contact Pat Licata.
To see available properties, please visit our website lakeofthewoodsvirginia.com