Although the U.S. housing sector can and has fluctuated on a week-to-week basis, seemingly having a mind of its own, it has at least remained a sellers market over the last year or so.
According to Zillow’s Q3 2018 Home Price Expectations Survey, which asked 100 real estate experts, economists, investment strategists, and analysts — 76% said the real estate sector will remain a seller’s market throughout 2019.
The typical home that was sold stayed on the market for about three weeks. Because the market is so competitive, it’s a great time to list your home. But you need to act quick in order to get the most out of your sale.
If you simply list your home and aren’t putting in the time, money, and effort into improving its look and feel, you’re going to end up getting a less than favorable return once the offers start coming in. Instead, consider doing everything you can to significantly improve the look of your property, subsequently increasing the amount of money you’ll get once your home is purchased.
Here are some excellent tips for upgrading, improving, and properly staging your home prior to placing it on the market:
- Paint and clean — Even if you think your home looks great, you can always improve its visual appearance by applying a fresh coat of paint. Additionally, cleaning your home is an essential step for property owners planning on listing their homes. (Did you know that carpet can hold up to one pound of dirt in just a single, square yard!?) And not just vacuuming and doing the dishes, either. You need to thoroughly clean your entire home so prospective buyers are walking into a fresh and clean environment.
“I have yet to come across a home that doesn’t benefit from a new coat of paint and new or freshly cleaned carpets,” said Cindy Bowman, listing manager with The Ramsey Group at Keller Williams Realty.
- Remodel — Each year, U.S. homeowners remodel more than 14.2 million bathrooms and 10.2 million kitchens. Though spending money on invasive remodeling projects may seem counterintuitive since you’re trying to maximize your return, this is actually a great way to boost your home’s resale value. Both minor and major household remodeling projects can result in significant return on investments (ROI), making it worth your time and money.
- Staging — By having your home staged by a professional, you’ll be able to transform your home design into some of the most popular designs at the moment. Your home might look great — to you. But prospective buyers will have a much different style taste. Home stagers will evaluate every aspect of your property and determine what things cane done to raise the bar and impress potential buyers.
Whether you’re planning on listing your home in a few months or think it could be a possibility in the future, these tips will help you get the most out of your sale and help you secure an even nicer next home!
