With the spring real estate market gearing up, we break down simple and affordable tips to make your home more appealing to buyers.
1. Give your windows a good clean from the inside and outside
You’d be amazed at how clean windows can drastically open up and refresh a space. The additional natural light streaming into your home will also make it look larger and more appealing. When the weather is nice, open up windows to let fresh air flow in.
2. Remove clutter from closets
Remove clutter from closets around the home, but make sure to keep them about half full. This will give buyers a better idea of how much closet space they will truly be getting.
3. Slap on a fresh coat of paint
Whether it’s on your front door, facade, or even the bathroom, a fresh coat of paint is a simple way to completely refresh a space. If one area in your home is painted a particularly bright or garish colour, repaint with a neutral tone to de-personalize the area for potential buyers.
4. Remove excess personal photos and quirky decor
Slightly de-personalizing the home will help potential buyers picture themselves living in it easier. Keeping a few individual photos around can add character to the space, but use them sparingly. You can swap out family photos with images of flowers or landscapes to keep the room decorated but less personalized.
5. Add a touch of natural beauty to the home
Something as simple as a bowl of fresh fruit to a kitchen counter or a vase of fresh flowers in a dining room table can instantly add allure to a room. If you have a garden, taking the time to plant some extra flowers will give your home instant curb appeal.
6. Light up every corner of the home
LED lightbulbs are inexpensive and energy-efficient. Replace all the light fixtures in your home with higher wattage LED bulbs and keep the lights on even in the daytime to brighten the home and make it appear larger.
7. Eliminate unwanted odours
Even if your home is staged perfectly, unwanted odours from pets, garbage or a musty bathroom can quickly turn off buyers. Find the source of the odour in the home and after removing it, burn a scented candle to appeal to buyers’ senses and make the space feel more inviting.
8. Add a welcome mat to your front door
Welcome mats make a great first impression to buyers and add warmth to the home.
9. Add place settings to dining room tables
Stage your dining room table as you would for a dinner party adds an element of luxury to your home and help buyers imagine themselves eating or entertaining in the space.
10. Clean out gutters
For home showings on rainy days (like many in Vancouver) make sure to clean out your rain gutters to keep buyers dry and the home looking fresh.