The 2019 Spring home market is upon us and our Berkeley Hills Realty teams are already working on preparing homes for sale. In our conversations with our sellers we always discuss the rewards of market prep-more buyer interest and a higher listing price. Buyers need to fall in love with the visual appeal of your home before they will notice any other improvements. Each home is unique, but a trusted Realtor can help you decide how to get the biggest bang for your pre-market buck.

Ready to get your to-do list out? Here is our top ten list for showcasing your East Bay home’s best features:

 

  1. Professionally Stage Your Home

Professional staging ups the ante on a home’s emotional cache by creating a magazine quality interior; which in turn sparks the fantasy of that picture perfect life. For the price of one stainless-steel kitchen appliance, you can spread the impression of luxury to every room of the house. The impression of quality will stick, even though buyers have no expectation that the expensive looking items are included in the sale. Contemporary furnishings can update a home’s interior for a relatively low investment. More importantly, 75% of all buyers use the internet during their home search. It has also become an industry standard to show a home “staged.” The few homes we see that are not staged give the impression that the homeowner does not believe their home is as worthy as their competition. This impression further diminishes a buyer’s perception of value.

  1. Professionally Paint The Interior Of Your Home

Paint the interior of your home and make the trim pop with a contrasting color. One of the benefits of our older housing stock lies in time-honored original details. Make sure buyers take notice by helping them stand out. Fresh paint also reflects pride of ownership and will help buyers feel confident in a home’s overall condition. Your staging professional will most likely be able to tell you what is the latest style for a color pallet.  (If you attempt to do the job yourself, spend extra time on prep and be sure to take the time to achieve a professional looking finish. A sloppy job can have the adverse reaction of putting doubt into your buyer’s mind about the quality of other home improvements.)

  1. Paint the Outside Entry, Porch and Window Trim

When you are looking for excellent curb appeal, painting the key elements of the exterior can be a good way add appeal without the expense of repainting the whole exterior. Remember to caulk, patch and paint any surface in need of attention. When painting porches and walkways, add sand to the mix to improve traction.

  1. Professionally Polish Your Hardwood Floors

Hardwood floors continue to be a desirable selling feature. Professionally polishing is much less expensive than completely refinishing them, and the visual impact is nearly as impressive. Having your floors polished is often only 1/5 the expense of refinishing, but it has the benefit of bringing the original beauty approximately 3/4 of the way back.

  1. Perform a Mini-Makeover On Your Kitchen

Kitchens sell houses. If yours is not likely to inspire an offer, consider the mini-makeover. Paint existing cabinets and install updated hardware. If the linoleum is dated, consider installing one of the new trends in flooring (https://www.flooringinc.com/blog/flooring-trends/) to include wood finishes and interesting patterns. Finish the look off with a solid surface counter, new sink and faucet. New appliances are a bonus and you may be able to negotiate with the buyers to take them with you to your next home.

  1. Refresh Your Bathroom

Second in the minds of buyers to kitchens are bathrooms. Repaint chipped bathtubs with an approved enamel paint. Replace any cracked tiles and clean the tile grout. As needed, replace the toilet, sink, vanity mirror and update the lighting.

  1. Bring in the Light!

A dark house can send a buyer back out the door. Look for cost effective ways to add light to a dark interior. Remove heavy draperies and window awnings. Opt for sheer panels instead. Prune trees to allow more light through the windows. Install a light tunnel to a windowless room or dark hallway. Light tunnels cost less than traditional skylights and are easier to install. Replace dated light fixtures with new ones. There are lots of low cost and stylish options now available online. Add floor and table lamps as needed to brighten a room. Finally, install the highest wattage bulbs allowed by the manufacturer in all the homes light fixtures. Warm-toned fluorescents will keep the electric meter from spinning.

  1. Freshen Up the Landscaping

Landscaping for curb appeal includes adding color spots (usually flowers) and the aesthetic pruning of existing plants. Plant themes can help define architecture: A Mediterranean drought resistant garden enhances a Spanish style home, while a cottage garden looks great in front of our California Bungalows. Fresh mulch can make the yard look well maintained. Meandering pathways and delineated outdoor living rooms can help small yards feel more generous. Water fountains can soften the sound of traffic.

  1. Create storage solutions

Helping buyers picture where their stuff can be stored can help them visualize living in your home. First on this list is clearing clutter. Clutter in a room will keep buyers focused on your things and they may not see the architecture. Also, if it looks like you no longer fit in the house, buyers will relate and worry where to put their things. Clear closets and cabinets down to the essentials. Add closet systems to maximize capacity. If a room doesn’t feel like a true bedroom because it is missing a closet, install one or include an armoire in the sale. If the home lacks a garage, consider erecting a garden storage shed. Sellers often overlook this advice, but if a buyer can’t bring their stuff, they will likely not want to live there.

  1. Clean, Clean, Clean

A spotless house will inspire buyer confidence because it speaks directly toward home maintenance. A thorough cleaning can also bring life back to many surfaces. We routinely set up the following for our clients:

  • Professional window washing – the best way to bring the outside in and add instant sparkle
  • Power washing of decks and entryways. Wood decks and mildewed concrete undergo a spectacular transformation with a jet stream of water.
  • Carpet cleaning
  • Interior cleaning with attention to sometimes neglected areas like light fixtures, ovens and the tops and insides of refrigerators.

If you would like to meet with us to help you sell your home and provide an individualized plan for preparing your home for the 2019 spring market, please call Berkeley Hills Realty. Our team includes Realtors with natural talent in coming in with a keen eye on what can be done to help make a home sell for top dollar.