For some homeowners this spring, the ‘for sale’ sign will be posted in the yard in hopes that a bidding war will break out. But even if you won’t be selling your home this season, you may want to tuck away these 6 Smart Ideas for Fetching Top Dollar For Your Home.
Since I have bought and sold a handful of homes, I have personally learned plenty of helpful ideas along the way.
But you need not take my word for it! After all, different regions of the country call for different strategies. However, these ideas hail from the results of recent national marketing research from Zillow.
Affiliate links follow and using them for purchases won’t cost you extra yet may earn me a small commission.
6 Smart Ideas for Fetching Top Dollar For Your Home
1. Make it Airy & Light
Obviously, you’ll want to clean as thoroughly as possible so your home looks the best it possibly can. Here is more detailed info on decluttering to prepare for an open house, and for a guide to cleaning your home thoroughly, see these ideas.
You’ll also want to open blinds and window coverings to allow in as much natural light as possible.
2. Write a Stellar Listing Description
It is important to be strategic about your home is described in the listing. For example, it turns out that listings which mention “spa-inspired bathroom features or entertainer-friendly kitchen amenities” sell for a higher price than expected (see this analysis). When a study examined the listing descriptions of 4 million properties which sold in 2016, certain features mentioned within the description positively influenced sales significantly.
Features to emphasize in the listing to increase chances of fetching top dollar?
Theater Room/Media Room, Craftsman style architecture, Modern farmhouse style, Chef’s Kitchen, Professional Appliances, Farmhouse Sink, Prep Sink, Pizza Oven, Wine Frig, Carrara Marble, Shed or Garage studio, Outdoor fireplace, Outdoor Kitchen, Pet shower, Carrara Marble, Freestanding Tub, Pet shower, Steam shower, Coffered Ceiling, Meditation Room, Herringbone floors, Heated floors, and Solar panels.
3. List at the Optimal Time
When should you place your home on the market?
Spring is the best time to list!
The last two weeks of the month of April will be the best time to list if you live near San Francisco, New York or Chicago.
Live near LA? Then the last two weeks of May are ideal for pulling the trigger.
For other cities in the USA, the first two weeks of May are the safest bet for listing and receiving top dollar, In fact, this report concluded that listings during May 1-15 sell almost two weeks faster, nationwide.
4. Take Time to Prep the Entry
Buyers want to be shown clearly that there is a designated place in the entry to place mail, keys, coats, etc. Make sure your entry area is clarified but not cluttered!
5. De-personalize So Buyers Can Picture Themselves Living There
Make sure to remove personal items so that buyers are able to imagine living happily within your home. Specific personal items to remove include family photos, cluttered shelves, and refrigerator magnet decor.
6. Consider 12 Features Buyers Pay More For
Theater Room/Media Room
According to the aforementioned study of millions of listings, on average, buyers will offer 19% more for a home with a theater or media room. Do you have a space in your home designated as a media room? Could you configure a theater room and add a few recliners?
Modern Farmhouse & Craftsman Style
Modern Farmhouse Finds!
Farmhouse Style Design Elements
Kitchen Design Elements
Chef’s Kitchen, Professional Appliances, Farmhouse Sink, Prep Sink
Pizza Oven, Wine Frig, Carrara Marble
Shed or Garage Studio
Outdoor Fireplace & Kitchen
Pet Shower
Desirable Bathroom Design Features
Also, don’t forget to have WHITE towels in the bath rather than other colors.
Carrara Marble
Freestanding Tub
Have one? Buyers may pay 21% more!
Steam Shower
Find options RIGHT HERE.
Coffered Ceiling
Meditation Room
Meditation rooms are especially desirable in Southern California…wouldn’t this look rather meditative?
Herringbone Floors
Heated Floors & Solar Panels
According to the report, buyers may pay 21% more for the feature of solar panels.
How About a Sharp Bench to Improve Curb Appeal?
Hope these ideas inspired you!
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Peace to you right where you are.
-michele
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Curb appeal is important. A nice walkway, gardens, a freshly painted door, a come “ sit awhile” chair or bench, are enticing to buyers. It’s the first thing they see and the last as they leave. Hopefully, your home will stay in their mind.
I always paint the inside of my homes in a soft white. I thought when we retired and stopped moving (selling) I would add glorious color. Ha! My home is a creamy white. I wasn’t painting my homes just for resale but for myself. I need that calm in my home, as my mind is sometimes a tumbling mess.
Blessings,
~Joanna
Author
Love these beautiful suggestions – and you’ve got me wondering how “staging” and preparing homes to sell may significantly impact folks who haven’t lived with white or in a spare way before! Interesting to think that the process of getting a home ready for sale may actually change a person’s whole style mindset. Thanks for the discussion. 🙂
Thanks Michele! Great suggestions. It seems like every new home in our area is a white farmhouse!
Author
Not surprised! Ha!
You certainly cant go wrong with any of these , or all, but it sure adds up, so do it for yourself, before listing so you also get enjoyment out of it 🙂
Author
Great point – I guess the thought is you’ll get it all back and more when it sells, and the features will be brand spankin new which buyers appreciate. 🙂
Hello, thanks for the interesting article. I think these tips will be useful for many people, especially those who decide to sell their house. The price of a house is influenced by a lot of factors, which are very important to consider if you plan to sell your house at a good price. From my own experience, I can say that it’s better to prepare for the sale of a house in advance. It will also be good to search for additional information about which factors and how to affect the price when selling a house. This will help you avoid losing money when selling a house.
Just re-read this article since our home is currently on the market. All very good points to follow 🙂 However Point #1 seems to be exact opposite in our area of the country! :'( Though our home is very light and airy with the main level having soft white tones, that is exactly the most voiced reason people don’t like our home! Go figure! Honestly around here the “overstuffed sofa with built in drink holders, huge TVs in the living room and dark colors” seem to be more of the norm.
We’ve now moved out of the house and though I know a vacant home usually takes longer to sell and for less than staged or occupied homes (that have been depersonalized), for some reason the interest in our home has been more now as a vacant home.
Yes, winter is not a good time to sell but our dream home became available in late Fall and we didn’t want to wait to jump on that opportunity….hence the reason on home’s on the market in winter. Ugh! 😉 However sometimes fewer homes are on the market in winter making for less competition.
Hopefully with the new year, it’ll sell now when someone sees it as “blank slate to call our own in this new year”.
Author
Interesting! It can be nerve wracking to wait for a sale. We built our French home right as the real estate bubble burst, and I remember the stress of all of those months of our former home lingering on the market when recession hit. I will need to research the current trends to see if the post needs to be updated. One of the reasons I prefer to blog about evergreen topics is this very issue! It’s so curious that so many cannot see past white paint color on the walls. Even if I’m not a fan of a particular shade of white, I’m a fan of pre-primed white walls that are easily covered with any color. Would it help to add a sentence in the marketing description like ‘oooooh, the beauty of a clean slate with walls pre-primed and ready for your color dreams!’ ???