The market is the definition of “hot” right now (yes, still), houses are coming on and off the market within a matter of days. Keyword there is definitely “most”. If you’re worried your house isn’t moving as fast as the others in your neighborhood are, you definitely need these secrets from master home-sellers!
Stage Smartly
Staging a house is very different from living in a house. How you live in a house is very different from how you need to stage the house for new buyers. It’s hard for buyers to imagine what they’d do with a space when it’s full of your personal touches, or devoid of any furniture or staging at all. Staging smart means staging in a way that gives prospective buyers an idea of how their furniture will fit and how they will move around the space.
Best tips for staging your home:
- Depersonalize, no more family photos on the mantel!
- Declutter
- Change out any furniture that looks too big or two small for the space
- Make sure every space has one dedicated purpose
Small Upgrades
It can be tempting to go through and buy all new appliances for the home before you list it–having the newest and shiniest stainless steel pieces can be very appealing for new buyers after all. But before you bust out the credit cards and go to the appliance store take a few moments to stop, look around, and look at the smaller details. As small as it sounds, making sure your cabinets and drawers have matching handles can make a magnificent improvement on a space that’s been well loved.
A few small upgrades that leave a big impression:
- Clean and matching drawer and cabinet pulls
- Light switches
- New smoke detectors
- Replacing dated light fixtures with modern ones
- Internal door knobs, especially taking consideration into which ones should lock
Urgent Repairs
There are few things with a house that simply must be in working condition in order to sell well. Unless you’re planning on selling your home as a fixer-upper there are a few things that are almost impossible to avoid repairing before listing. If you want your home to be available to people with an FHA loan, that list is much less flexible.
Using FHA requirements as a guideline for the urgent repairs is still a wonderful place to start and ensure your home is worth the highest price available.
In short you’re looking to make repairs if your:
- Roof is damaged
- Water heater is less than functional
- Your heating and cooling systems aren’t up to snuff
- There are old and/or unsafe electric systems still in place.
Closing on a house soon?
The purchase of any home in Georgia requires a licensed real estate attorney present at closing. If you’re taking steps to close on your house in the next 30-60 days give us a call! At Frank B. Pallotta Law we are licensed Real Estate Lawyers with 20 years of experience helping our clients in Georgia navigate the closing process. Reach out to us with your questions. We’re here to help.
