Before your home is ready to be staged for an open house or showings, it needs to be cleaned thoroughly. When buyers are going through multiple available properties, you need to make sure that your home is spotless enough to stand out. In such a ‘make or break’ situation, the buyer’s first impression is the only impression that matters.
According to a survey conducted by HomeGain.com, cleaning and decluttering was the top investment when determining the top 10 low cost, do-it-yourself home improvements for people who are preparing their home to sell. Nearly 600 real estate professionals were surveyed, and for the most part, they all agreed: a clean home sees results.
“Cleaning and de-cluttering continues to rank as the top suggested home improvement (since the survey was originally conducted in 2003). This low cost home improvement is recommended by 99% of Realtors and [typically] costs less than $300 but has a returning value of nearly $2,000 to the home’s sale price, or a 586% return on investment (ROI).”
A messy or dirty house can give the illusion to potential buyers that they’re due for a lot of work and upkeep -- you want to prevent the buyers from being overwhelmed and to envision themselves in the home. Remember: the cleaner you can keep the home for as long as possible, the faster it’s likely to sell.
Use the following tips to get started on the cleaning and decluttering process:
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Step into the buyer’s shoes. Focus on the rooms that might interest the potential buyer -- the entryway, kitchen, bathroom, living room, and/or dining area. When it comes to the bedrooms, take out half of the contents in your closets so that the buyer can get an idea of the space. As a general rule, make sure that nothing is strewn on the ground -- no toys, clothes, etc.
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Rent a storage unit. As you’re cleaning and decluttering, you might see that your home has more furniture than what may be necessary. Keep only the essentials in each room so that less furniture will give buyers the illusion of more space. Putting the extra furniture away will also help with the moving process after the sale has been closed.
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Swap out grungy furnishings. Out-dated switch plates and lighting, dirty stove drip pans, and hardware can all contribute to a less-than-ideal impression of your home. Replacing these items doesn’t have to be a huge expense and the payoff is well worth the effort. With new furnishings, the home will look put together and modern. Buyers will walk into your home with a sense of relief about not having to put as much work into the home.
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Enlist the professionals. Get into the decluttering, organizing, and cleaning process by catching up on some reading. The KonMari Method has recently been making waves with its simple, streamlined way of getting rid of your old or unused items. The main focus of the method is to only hold onto items that bring joy in your life, otherwise they’re fit for the trash or the donation bin.
If the outcome of your sale hinges on the cleanliness of your home, why not go the extra mile? Don’t hesitate to call the cleaning and restoration professionals for the bigger projects. Whether it’s removing stains from carpets, scrubbing your wood floors, deep-cleaning your old couch, or completely removing the dust and debris from your air ducts and vents, your home will reap the benefits of being perfectly clean and staged for a viewing or sale.
