Designer Hints to Help Sell Your Home Faster!

The ability to reap additional profits on the sale of your home can be accomplished easily enough, if you make the right improvements.

Many changes can provide the prospective buyer with enhanced feelings about your home. Feelings of more space, more light, more rooms, more closet space, greater privacy, warmth and security. Basic, simple and inexpensive improvements can provide an improved emotional response in a potential buyer.

An example could be something as small as a crack in the paint on a wall. By simply applying some plaster and touch-up paint, you eliminated what may be an unstated concern that your home was poorly maintained. Though the feeling may be unconscious, it's just as important that the potential buyer feel an overall sense of emotional desire for your home. If you are working with a small budget, these simple techniques will work absolute wonders.

1. The Magic of Mirrors!

Mirrors can provide a greater sense of space and elegance when properly placed. Be careful not to overdo it, but when placed properly throughout your home, each area will seem larger to the potential homebuyer. Try looking in your attic or basement for any old mirrors, but be sure they have a nice frame or at least give the frame a new coat of paint. You may also want to visit a local flea market or garage sale - you can often find a great deal on an old mirror or two. Putting one-foot square mirrors on a closet door in the master bedroom is always an attractive touch.

2. Adding Additional Closet Space

One of the biggest complaints heard from potential buyers is that there just isn't enough closet space! Simply purchasing an inexpensive closet organizer and installing it in any or all of your closets can make all the difference. You can also try putting a rod across one comer of a bedroom, for hanging clothes, further out put another rod higher up. From this rod hang a clothes-hiding screen made from a variety of choices. The screen could be matching material of the bedspread, drapes etc. The idea here is to be creative so that the "fake closet" looks as though it was a part of the room.

3. Make a Bare Wall Beautiful

Wallpaper is inexpensive, quick and easy to do! The right wallpaper can brighten the room or hallway and bring it back to life. Be careful to choose something with a neutral design or pattern. Remember, you're trying to move out!

4. Bring Old Floors Back to Life!

Nothing turns off a potential buyer quicker than dull, dingy, disgusting-looking floors. Whether you have wax, wooden or tiled floors do whatever you can to make them shine again! For wax floors, either rent a floor machine and do it yourself, or hire a professional if it's in your budget. Have a professional give you an estimate and explain exactly what they would do to bring your floors back to life. If you have them explain what they would do, it may be just as easy to do it yourself. If you have carpeted floors you should either have the carpet steam-cleaned or, if it's in your budget, install new carpeting. This may sound expensive, but new carpeting can add thousands of dollars to the value of your home.

5. Bring in some Plants

Having plants in the house is not only healthy for you but you create a warm feeling with them. Fichus trees have become very popular and they can be purchased inexpensively. Attractive pots such as ceramic, brass or even designer plastic will add a designer flair to your home. Hanging plants such as Boston ferns are inexpensive, easy to care for and would go great in your new home wherever you move.

6. Adding a Room Without Calling in the Contractor!

This simple but seldom-used technique can give a buyer the feeling there are more actual rooms in your house. Floor-to-ceiling room dividers are inexpensive and simple to install. When a buyer walks through your home, they will generally count the rooms in a subconscious manner. Each room will present an emotional response as they walk through your home. By dividing and designing each side of your room, you create a "separate room" feeling in the potential buyer. It may sound crazy, but it works!

7. Clean Up the Bathroom

We've probably all heard that phrase a hundred times growing up as children! Well guess what? It's still valid. Give your bathroom a face-lift if needed. Fresh paint, some decorative moldings, tile grout, new designer faucets are attractive eye catchers.

8. What is that Smell?

People don't like to admit it but everyone's home has a certain smell to it. We just never notice because we live with it day in, day out. Strategically placing fresh scent devices throughout the home will be pleasant to the nose of any potential buyer. As a matter of fact, an old Realtor trick is to pop some cinnamon rolls in an oven 5 minutes before a showing. I bet you thought all Realtors just had a sweet tooth!

My hope with this report has been to help you make simple changes that can add thousands of dollars to the ultimate selling price of your home. I hope you found the ideas useful and if there is ever any way I can be of service to you or anyone you care about, please contact my office. Your initial consultation is always completely free of charge and you're under no obligation of any kind. We'll sit down for 15-20 minutes... no high-pressure, just plain, honest talk about what it's going to take to achieve your personal goals. Go ahead, pick up the phone and give me a call. I'd love to hear from you!  Phone 760-720-6520.

Daniel Holbrook, President, The At|vantage Group, Inc.

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