Homeownership is a dream for millions of Americans. While renting apartments or houses limits what you can do with the property and contains no investment value, buying a home gives you the freedom to customize the property and build equity that will pay dividends in the future. The longer you live in the home and continue to pay a mortgage, the more you will benefit when it comes time to sell.
Selling a home can be just as stressful
as buying one. Depending on the type of market you are in, you may be competing
with hundreds of other homeowners to attract buyers that will make an offer on
the property. In a buyer’s market, sellers must look for a competitive
advantage that will make their homes stand out from the rest. Even in markets
that favor sellers, you should still try to get the best offer that you can.
When you start to think about selling
your home, it is time to consider how to make the property more appealing for
buyers in Myerstown, PA. Here are a few ideas that can help you entice more
buyers and better offers that will put money in your pocket.
Clean Exterior and Interior
Real estate is a very visual industry.
Rarely do buyers consider a home that they have not seen, either through
pictures from an online listing or in person. Presenting the best possible
image to buyers is critical when trying to sell a home for tens or hundreds of
thousands of dollars.
One of the simplest ways to do so is to
clean things up. Use a power washer for the porch, deck, siding, and other
exterior surfaces to get rid of stains. Keep the lawn mowed, the edges trimmed,
and the weeds out. De-clutter the interior so that pictures look more open and
any visitors that may be interested in buying can picture their things in the
home easily. A clean home looks more ready for move-in, which can entice buyers
to check out the property and consider putting in an offer.
Curb Appeal Features
Curb appeal refers to the impression that
people get when they first see the outside of your home, either from the street
or from pictures. Positive curb appeal means that your property looks nice,
which may be enough to grab a potential buyer’s attention and make them want to
come inside.
You can add multiple elements to the
exterior spaces to boost curb appeal. Find a stone supplier in Myerstown to put in some
decorative stones around the entryway or a pathway. Put in a garden with a
mixture of perennials and annuals to add some more color to the property’s
exterior. Upgrade old shutters so that the colors are no longer faded or the
style is more modern. If you want that “wow” factor, put a water feature in the
yard, like an ornate fountain or a DIY stream. Strong curb appeal often leads
to potential buyers learning more about your home.
Upgrade Old Elements
The worst-case scenario for a buyer is
purchasing a home and then discovering some major maintenance flaw that will
require even more money to address. They already spent a ton of money securing
the home, and now they have to spend even more to maintain it. On the seller’s
side, an inspection may catch these kinds of flaws anyways, which may result in
the buyer looking elsewhere for a home. If your home has old features that are
in disrepair or not working effectively, they may need to be addressed before
selling. Otherwise, buyers will expect a lower price point.
If the roof needs replacing, find a reliable roofing company to handle
this large-scale project. Take care of fixtures that are leaking or otherwise
dysfunctional. Invest in new, more energy-efficient appliances. A home that has
been taken care of is far more appealing to buyers and likely to fetch stronger
offers.
Professional Photos
The quickest way into the heart of a
buyer is high-quality photos of your property. However, taking these pictures
yourself could be a mistake. Professional photographers know how to use light
and space to their advantage, especially if they are experienced in real estate photography. The wrong angle
could make a room look smaller than it is in reality, and since these pictures
are the first impression of your home, it is better to make sure that
impression is positive. Let your real estate agent handle the pictures, or ask
them for a recommendation for a local professional photographer.
Selling Takes Work
While buyers simply have to worry about
their budgets and searching for a home, sellers often have some work to do
before this transaction is completed. The more competitive the market is for
sellers, the more they have to worry about attracting buyers. The steps listed
above can give you a big advantage over other sellers, especially if you
implement several of them. If you are willing to put in the work, you should be
able to sell your home Myerstown home for a great price.