It’s easier than ever to imagine yourself living in a new home, thanks to photo-heavy Internet real estate sites. In fact, you may have already decided how you’ll arrange your furniture in a home’s family room, or how you’ll transform the master bedroom suite into the ultimate sanctuary. If you’re thinking of buying a new house, just one thing probably stands in your way: the sale of your current home. These six tips just may help you sell your home a little faster than you anticipated.

Start with a Thorough Cleaning

No matter how long you’ve lived in your home, it’s always a good idea to deep clean it before placing it on the market. You may not notice the scuff marks on the baseboards or the dust on the ceiling fan anymore, but buyers certainly will.

Although a little dust or dirt doesn’t affect the quality of your home, it may make buyers worry that you may have neglected more serious home maintenance issues. Whether you plan to clean your home yourself or hire a professional, a thorough pre-sale cleaning is essential. Cleaning not only removes dust, dirt, debris, handprints and scuff marks from surfaces, but also helps your home smell fresher.

Get Rid of Clutter

As part of the cleaning process, eliminate clutter from every room in your home. Prospective buyers may not be able imagine themselves living in your home if your belongings are prominently on display.

These tips can help you declutter your home:

• Put items in one of three bins labeled “store,” “donate” or “throw away.”
• Take your inspiration from photographs of new homes and remove all personal items, such as photographs, trophies, collections, etc.
• Remove gadgets and personal items from kitchen and bathroom counters.
• Don’t neglect closets, attics and garages when decluttering. Buyers will take a look at these areas too.
• Make “less is more” your motto. Remove heavy draperies to emphasize the view out your windows, and get rid of the row of assorted knickknacks on the mantel. Replace them with one or two carefully chosen objects that don’t distract from your amazing fireplace.

Repair and Replace Worn Items

After living in your current home for years or decades, it’s easy to overlook areas that are damaged or a little worn. Unfortunately, prospective buyers will notice chipped paint, worn carpeting or gouges or small holes in walls or floors. Spending a little time and money repainting, replacing and fixing damaged or worn areas of your home is a simple way to make it attractive to potential buyers.

Defects may be easier to spot if you pretend you’re a buyer when you evaluate your home. If you don’t think you’ll be able to spot all the little problems, ask a friend to point out issues that may concern buyers.

Keep Up with the Joneses

Did your mom ever tell you not to worry about what other people were doing? She may have been right about most situations but not about selling your home. Before you put your home on the market, view listings of comparable houses in your area or visit open houses.

Do your competitors’ homes feature stainless steel appliances and hardwood floors? It may be a good idea to update your appliances, even if they work perfectly fine, or remove the carpeting to reveal your own hardwood floors. Making a few changes will help ensure that your house shows just as well as neighboring homes.

Price Your Home Realistically

No one likes to leave money on the table when selling a home, especially if they’re using the proceeds of the sale to purchase a new home. Unfortunately, if your home is priced too high, you may wait a long time for an offer. If your home is still for sale a month or more after you list it, buyers may assume that there’s a problem with it, according to Trulia. It’s best to heed your real estate agent’s advice and price your home realistically.

Create Curb Appeal

You’ve probably eliminated a few homes from your search list simply because you didn’t like the way they looked from the street. Buyers may feel the same way about your home if the curb appeal of your home is lacking. Trimming or adding shrubbery, weeding flower beds, replacing worn or damaged walkways, cleaning windows and painting your home (if needed) will make your property look much more inviting.

Are you still looking for your next home? Consider making the move to one of Country Classics' new home developments in Central New Jersey! Contact us today for more information on available home sites and floor plans.

The Spruce: How to Declutter Your Home, Room by Room

https://www.thespruce.com/decluttering-your-entire-home-2648002

Trulia: 8 Reasons NOT to Test the Market with Your Asking Price

https://www.trulia.com/blog/8-reasons-not-to-test-the-market-with-your-asking-price/