Before entering into an agreement to sell your home, it is in your best interest to maximize the value of your home through staging. The following money-saving tips will help you sell your home faster and for a higher amount. If you intend to sell your home in the next 12 months, your first step should be to contact a respected real estate agent and ask them to tour your home. They can advise you on staging ideas you can employ to increase the value of your home. The advice you receive from the real estate agent will help you decide which projects you want to complete before selling your home. Below is a list of staging ideas, which will typically increase a home’s value. Although every home and neighborhood is different, a realtor’s home improvement advice is critical to maximizing the value of your home.

• Inviting and attractive: Focus on the entrance area of ​​the house. Make sure it’s clean, tidy, and freshly painted. You may only get one chance to make a first impression on potential homebuyers.

• Bathroom(s) – The number of bathrooms in a home is one of the most important factors homebuyers consider before even looking at a home. A basic bathroom update such as: new paint, new hardware (toilet paper holder and towel rack), new shower curtain and towels, and new flooring will likely add considerable value.

• Paint – Depending on the condition and color of the paint inside and outside the home, a fresh coat of paint can increase your home’s appeal to potential buyers. Some homebuyers can’t see the potential; They may remove your property from consideration simply based on the condition and color of the paint on the home. Neutral colors are more acceptable to a broader audience of homebuyers.

• Minor Changes: Thoroughly inspect your home for obvious problems. These can be as small as: electrical outlet covers, light fixtures, manhole covers, and floor coverings. Adding an alarm system should also be considered. These updates may be very small, but they can change the appearance and appeal of your home to potential buyers.

• Exterior Maintenance: Increasing your home’s curb appeal will attract more buyers. Look at the siding, gutters and downspouts. Address any obvious issues.

• Eliminate Personal Items – Make your home personal to potential buyers. Let them imagine themselves in your house. The easiest way to do this is to delete your personal photos and memories. Pack as much as you can in each room. This will make each room seem larger. If necessary, consider renting a storage unit to remove clutter from your home.

• Professional Cleaning – Right before you officially list your property, it’s in your best interest to have your home professionally and thoroughly cleaned.

• Carpet and Flooring – Depending on the condition of your home’s carpeting and flooring, you may want to consider purchasing moderately priced floor coverings. Avoid spending a lot of money to replace these items, if they are new and of average quality, they should pass the homebuyer’s vision test.

• Brighten each room: open the shades and add higher wattage bulbs. This will make the rooms look bigger and brighter. Thoroughly clean all fixtures including lights and ceiling fans.

• Eliminate unpleasant odors: If you have pets, such as dogs and cats, it is sometimes difficult to hide odors. You can use pet cleaning products or baking soda to try to mask odors in your carpets and furniture. Be careful what you cook, because some odors, like fish, can linger in the house for days.

It is helpful for potential buyers to provide information about local restaurants, attractions, shops, and schools. Documenting how convenient your property’s location is to what they consider important can influence their opinion of your home. The improvements mentioned above, along with the advice of an experienced real estate agent, should help you maximize the value of your home. Increasing the appearance and value of your home will not only result in a higher sales price, but a faster sale as well. After making home improvements and listing your home with an experienced real estate agent, always make sure the buyer is pre-approved before accepting any offer. The last thing you want to do after fixing up your home is take it off the market for a prospective buyer who doesn’t qualify for a loan. Always ask to see a copy of your pre-approval letter to verify your ability to obtain a mortgage.