If you are a homeowner, you realize that your home may not stay in as pristine condition as the day you bought it. Some of these minor flaws can be anything you may overlook like chipped paint or something as simple as a window that tends to stick when being opened and closed. Check out these helpful tips to ease your stress when you go to sell your home as some of these minor flaws can add up to be a large investment for a homebuyer.
1. Ripped Window Screens
If you know that you are going to sell your home, especially during the warmer months, your home buyer is not going to want to move in to a house that has ripped window screens. Windows screens become worn out over time, but if yours have become town it is highly suggested that you replace them. If they are not fixed, the buyer may ask to be credited for any ripped screens. Since this can become a major point of contention and can delay the progress to the final sale it is highly suggested that you check all the window and sliding door screens for any rips, tears, or holes.
2. Your Bathtub or Shower
Since we all have different preferences on using a shower versus a bath, it is highly important for a house to have both in at least one bathroom; however, it is not always possible for one to do so. In any situation, make sure that the style of your tub or shower is not too aggressive and that it is cleaned out before guests tour your home. This can be as simple as spraying bleach on dirt that has built up or some showers and baths may require more attention if the cleaning on them has not been kept up with.
3. Odors
It’s not uncommon that a homeowner becomes immune to a foul odor that may be inside of their home. Foul odors are one of the easiest ways that a seller can kill a home sale. When looking at homes, pleasant odors and foul odors can both be red flags. If you smell any sort of uncommon odors when you are preparing your home for sale it is best to have that looked at before a guest tours your home and points it out.
A simple way to make potential home buyers feel more welcome into your home is by lighting a few candles throughout the house with neutral scents to help buyers picture their family moving in to the home.
4. Small Closets
It is important to keep your home neat and tidy for showings and sometimes we forget about our closets and tend to just shut the door and shove piles of clothes into them. Home buyers look for storage space inside of bedrooms to see how much they are going to be able to fit when they move. Since small closets mean limited storage space, a simple trick to making them appear bigger is by removing half of their contents and spacing out the rest of the clothing. You may need to take out some items and box them up in storage.
Also, consider hiring a contractor to build or extend closets, especially if you have trouble fitting clothes into them already.
5. Stains on Walls and Floors
If there are stains on a wall or ceiling in the home, it’s important to have them repaired or touched up because the buyers may ask what has caused these stains. Since it is possible that the stains are from a prior problem, like a leak, spill, or just simply from having a pet, having them fixed will cause fewer questions that a home buyer may have. If the stains on your walls or ceilings aren’t repaired, it can cost a buyer thousands of dollars in repairs in the future.
If you have any questions about selling your home, call us today at 614.855.8700!
