Homeowners selling their houses look at comparable homes and then take a second look at their own. The takeaway is that preparing a house for sale involves doing whatever it takes to make the place look amazing. Potential buyers view every point in a house with eagle eyes. What they see must look amazing.
This doesn't mean breaking the bank, although new upgraded windows and doors can set homeowners back a penny or two. A new roof might not be in the budget, nor replacing the gutters. However, these are the very things potential buyers see before they get to the front door. So how do you prep your rambler for sale?
Prep The Outside Of The House First
Buyers like to walk around the house before they step inside. They will examine the siding, the foundation, the gutters, the roof, the windows, and doors. Any tiny crack or irregularity will put them off buying the house. Your first job is to eyeball the outside of the house as if you wanted to buy it:
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Seal any cracks in the foundation
Power wash the siding or even brick. Bright clean house cladding is attractive to buyers
If there are loose shingles on the roof, nail them down. If the flashing looks worn, replace it.
Clean the gutters and run water from the garden hose into the downspouts.
Update windows and doors, and use new screens and storm windows
Place a plant in the basement decorative window well. It will look attractive to buyers
Prep the drive by sealing any cracks or holes. The same goes for the sidewalks and porch
Buy new pots of flowers to place on the porch and steps. Window boxes and hanging plants on the porch give the place a fresh look
Paint the trim and the front door. Contrasting colors on trim catches the eye while painting the front door a vibrant red, yellow, or blue please viewers
Now Prep The Inside Of The House
Buyers need to see if their furnishings will fit in the rooms of your house. Your assignment, should you choose to take it, will be to empty the house of furnishings. Ruthlessly clear it all out, and put it in storage. Leave one or two paintings on the walls, bring in very few plants to put in each room.
The living room should contain one sofa, one chair, one rug, and a coffee table. Place the plants invitingly around the room. Buyers should picture their things fitting into this room.
If your rambler has a formal dining room, then place one table and a few chairs in the center of the room as a focal point. Other heavy furniture should go into storage.
If the kitchen has a breakfast nook, then buy a small bistro table and bar chairs to go in the nook. Any small appliances should be packed away in storage. Buyers need to see counter space as well as the material of which the counter is made such as quartz or marble.
Experts tell us that the rooms staged to sell a house faster are the living room, dining room, kitchen, and master bedroom. Buy new fluffy bed linens and throw pillows. Place a plant or vase of fresh flowers on the one bureau that isn't in storage. Spruce up the master bath with new hardware and a coat of paint.
A Final Thought
Nothing says fresh and new like a coat of paint. Go neutral with golds, tans, creams, and the classic white. They buyers can paint the house in whatever color they want after the sale.
Crown molding doesn't cost much. It takes a weekend or two to put up. It also looks good over doors and windows. These are small touches, but they are the touches that sell a house.
