Putting your home up for sale is no small feat. Many first-time sellers have the impression that it’s just a matter of making a listing and waiting for offers. Although you certainly can take this approach, it’s not likely to get the results you’re looking for.

You’ll get fewer offers, plus you’re not likely to get the majority of your offers all at once this way. Instead, you may see offers trickle in, leaving you stuck gambling on whether or not a given offer is worth your time. 

There are several ways you can make your selling process less frustrating and more profitable. First and foremost, consider the following simple renovation projects. These are effective ways to boost your home’s appeal that can suit most budgets — and most are even DIY-friendly! 

Next, you’ll need to effectively market your home, grab buyers’ attention, and evaluate offers to see which one’s right for you. Ready to dive in? Johnson + Fernandez invites you to read on!

Spruce Up the Walls 

Giving the walls a fresh coat of paint is a standard part of home selling prep work. Unless you’ve painted very recently — within the last year or so — odds are your walls could use a fresh coat. Regular wear and tear, especially in high traffic areas such as entry ways, kitchens, bathrooms, and playrooms, can leave walls looking dingy. Fresh paint gives the space a facelift and helps your home look more appealing to buyers. 

Alternatively, you can use decorative wallpaper to create accent spaces and give otherwise dull rooms an exciting pop. The peel-and-stick kind can be a great option for sellers. Since they’re easy to remove (and reinstall), they can give your room a fresh look while still giving buyers flexibility. Geometric designs and traditional patterns are your best bet for achieving design neutrality, which brings us to…

Depersonalize Your Space 

Most sellers have heard the term “staging” at some point, referring to how you set your home up for buyers to tour. However, one of the most important parts of staging is to depersonalize your home. This means swapping out sentimental or highly stylized decor (such as family photos or your antique cat lamps) for decor that offers broader appeal. 

This feels counterintuitive to many sellers — after all, the buyer isn’t going to live in the house as you’ve designed it. However, it’s important for your home to capture potential buyers’ imaginations. If they can’t picture themselves in your home, they’re a lot less likely to move forward with an offer. It’s far easier to project your life onto a neutral space than a highly stylized one that doesn’t suit your aesthetic. 

Make Subtle Upgrades 

Take some time to tour your house with subtle upgrades in mind. Odds are there are dozens of little things in your house that you’re used to but could use work or modernization. For example, you might be used to the drawer that doesn’t shut quite right, but buyers who notice won’t appreciate it. Little problems like these are usually easy and inexpensive to fix, so they’re well worth the time. 

You can also look into small upgrades like modernizing your hardware. Getting new drawer pulls and cabinet knobs, for example, can do wonders for making kitchens and bathrooms more appealing, especially if the hardware is dingy or out of date. Once again, this is a low-cost, perfectly DIY-able move that can go a long way toward improving the impression your home leaves on buyers. 

Market Your House!

Most people choose to work with a real estate agent to help sell their home. Others, however, prefer the “sell by owner” method, and this can work, but the onus is on you to market your property to draw in buyers. Start by building a website through a site like Weebly or Wix. These website builders offer an easy solution for those un-savvy in website design. Next, consider signing up on your favorite social media platforms specifically for your house. This ensures you can get the word out about an upcoming open house, plus you can post pics and leave links to your site. Additional flair like a banner offers a design element that can quickly grab the attention of buyers. Create a custom design through an online banner maker using typography tools to accentuate creative wording like “Yes, this house has a pool!” or “Only one owner!”

In Conclusion 

These are just a few of the projects you can take on to make your home more appealing to buyers. Ultimately, anything that makes your home look and feel better in photos and tours will make a big difference. When you boost your home’s appeal, you give yourself better odds of having plenty of offers to choose from so you can find the best buyer for your property! 

Do you need help with updates or upgrades before you list? Connect with Johnson + Fernandez today! (714) 459-2490

Contributing writer Suzie Wilson