Selling a home is never easy - and if you have to sell by a certain deadline then you could really be hurting your chances of selling for a good price, or selling at all. Most often people don't need to operate within a certain time frame, unless they already have another place to live. But if you're living the military life then you know timing isn't something you always have control over. Luckily, there are a few last minute things you can do to make your home sell faster!
Improve Curb Appeal
The first thing anyone sees when coming to your home is the front yard. That's why curb appeal is so important! You only get one chance to make a first impression. How is your home's curb appeal? If the paint is peeling on your shutters or your door looks like it's been through a few winters, then someone coming to your home could think that the inside will be shabby is well. It's setting their expectations to dislike your home before they even walk in.
So how can you improve your curb appeal? There are lots of things you can do - and you don't even have to break the bank! If you have some money to spend, replacing your front door, windows, and shutters and hiring a landscaper can make your home look beautiful in an instant.
If you don't have money to spend, head over to Home Depot and start DIY'ing! Simply throwing on a new coat of paint and planting some trees and bushes could make a big difference fast. In just one weekend the outside of your home could look brand new.
Neutralize Your Home
This one is easy in theory, difficult in practice. Neutralizing a home to help it sell is a MUST - short time frame or no. A person needs to walk into a place and feel like they can sit down, plop their feet on the coffee table, and call it home right away. That's how you get a house sold quickly. But if you have photos of your family on every wall, your favorite flowered wallpaper in the bathroom, and toys littering the bedrooms, then this will be hard to do.
There's no need for a big budget on this one. The first thing you should do is clean up any clutter that exists in your home. That goes from kids toys to your clothes and storage boxes. If you need to, rent out a short-term storage locker to pack these things away and make your home look clean and organized. You'll need to pack it all before you move anyway, so this will just give you a head start.
If you have a little more money to spend, the next thing you should do is take down any patterned wallpaper (this is always a matter of personal style so you're better of not having it there) and paint any bright colored rooms. Typically soft beiges, blues, and whites are colors that anyone can appreciate. If the incoming buyers want something more unique, let them take care of that after they've bought your home.
Fix Repairs Which Could Halt an Inspection
Are there any known issues with your home such as a damaged roof or leaky faucets? If there is anything you know about that needs to be fixed, just take care of it now. It will likely come up in inspection anyway and that gives the potential buyers a chance to walk away from a contract.
Even small repairs matter. If someone starts to fall in love with your home but notices the cupboard door doesn't shut all the way, that small detail could instantly make them worry that there are much bigger problems lurking behind the walls. Don't let their imaginations run wild! Make small fixes so they can trust that the home has been well taken care of.
Stage Your Home
This is by no means necessary and definitely requires more wiggle room in your budget. However, if you're really desperate to sell and you have some extra money, staging a home is a great way to neutralize the space and show buyers how it could look. Staging is done by professional interior designers so you can be sure that your home will look as good as new - at least when it comes to the furniture and decor.
This is also a good option if you've already moved out. Rooms tend to look bigger with furniture in them so that's a bonus. Plus, it's another way you can avoid a possible buyer having to use his or her imagination. The quicker they can see themselves in your place, the sooner they'll sign on the dotted line.
Buying a home is a daunting process and ends in a major commitment. Even if someone falls in love with your home they will still deal with anxiety over making such a large purchase. But if you make these small changes, you will create a home that is warmer, more inviting, and that looks to be problem-free. This will be the difference between you selling your home quickly or having it sit on the market for months or even years!
