Easy and Affordable Ways to Get Your Home Ready to Sell

According to Zillow, homes stayed on the market for an average of 68 days in 2018. If you want to make your home stand out from the crowd and sell more quickly, you'll need to put in the extra effort. When preparing to sell your home, you need to declutter, depersonalize, and stage your house in a way to make it most appealing to the largest number of buyers. That said, getting your home ready for photos, open houses, and showings doesn't need to be an expensive endeavor. With these simple, affordable tips, your house will be primed to sell.

Boost the Curb Appeal

First impressions are important to home buyers. Although you don't need to completely remodel the exterior of your home, appearance matters. According to Kiplinger.com, overgrown and unkempt landscaping can be a big turnoff to buyers. Before taking photos for your property listing and prior to showing your home, make sure your grass is freshly cut, leaves are raked, trees are trimmed, and the driveway is shoveled, depending on the season. Power-wash your house and driveway, and make your windows sparkle. Also, give your front door a fresh coat of paint, if necessary, and add an inviting welcome mat.

Declutter and Depersonalize Your Home

Buyers want to visualize their own belongings in any home they want to purchase. If your home is cluttered or full of personal items, they may have trouble doing that. So, purge and remove items from your house to make it look as roomy as possible. Decluttering your home offers a great opportunity to donate, recycle, or sell items that you don't want or use on a regular basis. People have different tastes in decor; therefore, to appeal to the largest portion of buyers, you should repaint rooms in neutral colors, if necessary, and keep your décor simple.

Also, store away family photos, knickknacks, toys, pet items, and other belongings that you want to keep but make your home look too cluttered. You can store boxes and bins out of sight in the attic or garage, or rent a storage unit if you have too many items to store. You can often pay weekly or monthly for a unit, though you’ll need to ensure you have enough wiggle room in your budget for this expense. For instance, the average price of a storage unit in Meridian is $97, though that price will change depending on the size of the unit you require.

Deep Clean and Air It Out

After you’ve gotten rid of or packed away the excess, it’s time to deep clean your home from top to bottom. Consider hiring a cleaning service to get your home as clean and sanitized as possible. Instead of spraying or plugging in air fresheners, open all the windows and allow your home to air out. This is especially important if you have pets. Of course, it’s important to set aside money for this expense as well. According to Thumbtack, the average price of a house cleaning ranges from $140 to $180, so budget accordingly.

Stage It

According to the Real Estate Staging Association, staged homes sell 73 percent faster, on average, than their non-staged houses. Bulky and outdated furniture can really make your home look unappealing to buyers. Remove about half your furniture from your house and put it in storage if necessary. Also, if you are in need of some new, modern pieces for staging, you can rent furniture to make your home look showroom ready. Place furniture away from your walls and enhance the space with area rugs. Add extra lighting to make rooms look bigger and brighter. Finally, a bowl of colorful fruit on the counter, flowers in vases, and other small touches can make a difference in photos and at showings.

It sounds cliche, but you honestly never have a second chance to make a first impression. Therefore, you should strive to make your home picture-perfect before putting it on the market or showing it to potential buyers. With a little preparation and work, you can make your house more appealing to a larger amount of buyers — and it will be set to sell in no time.