When listing, how do you make your house speak luxury? Gen X and Millennials are ready to jump into the housing market but are more discriminating than past buyers because they are looking for the property that speaks value, one that does not cost a fortune but looks like it does. You don’t have to spend a lot preparing a house for sale, but there are things that can be done in a home to make it look expensive.
Decluttering
This is probably the toughest one to explain to the average seller because you need to be objective when editing your house. A professional stager is worth the cost to help you edit, prioritize what needs to be done by room to create a style that buyers expect to see. Less is more, it makes the rooms feel rich, but doing too much can make them feel sterile creating no attraction.
Getting rid of the Grunge
Grunge is never desirable for anyone purchasing a product. Think of when you sell a car, do you not detail it? How about when you are shopping for yourself if you see the product is soiled, ripped, broken or looks worn in any way do you think “ooh this is it I will pay full price for this” or do you ask “how deep of a discount can you give me on this?” Same goes for a house. Clean is queen when selling. Clean conveys new, fresh, and the value a buyer is looking for.
Light
Never underestimate the power of light when you are selling your house. Light can help make rooms appear larger. Light can also highlight desirable feature in and through a room. Homes that are bright with natural light and electric light show better because buyers feel they are more lavish. Open those drapes and let the light pour in.
Paint
The trend now is for neutral tones, a house on the market does not have to have all white walls. Using tones of neutral colors which can be just as sumptuous as a bold color, but convey better because they are a base to show off the features of a room versus taking over. If all a buyer sees is a red wall that’s all they see, they are not looking at the size of the room, the possibility of how they can live in that space. Paint is one of your best investments when selling, it makes things look fresh, expensive and new.
Accessorize
Actually, this is the final step in preparing a house for the market but one that makes a huge impression. It is the packaging that will impact the marketing of a home. If it is remerchandised to become a desirable product in the market it will stand out, appeal and be preferred be one of the good houses in Gen X and Millennials minds. This includes not only the pillows, art, and lights in a room, it includes worn furniture or furniture that is out of date no longer desirable. Make the house convey value that a buyer desires.
Although these suggestions do not cost a lot, they will increase the perceived value, and increase the interest in a house.
