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Real Estate Blog

6 No-Cost Things To Increase Your Home's Value

by ROB HASTINGS on AUGUST 19, 2020

A common misconception of many home sellers in Jacksonville is that they have to spend a lot of money in order to get their home ready to sell and attract buyers. However, the reality is there are many things home sellers can do that don't cost a dime.

1. Remove Personal Things

When Jacksonville home buyers enter a home, they want to envision themselves living in the home, not someone else. As a result, it's important to remove personal things such as family photos on the piano, diplomas or other achievements on the walls, or pictures from your last vacation on the refrigerator.

Replace hanging photos with color-coordinated stock photography or paintings that create a feeling of welcome to your home. Likewise, think of removing those personal things as way to start packing early.

2. Get Rid of Clutter

Is the desk in your office covered with books, papers, pens, and bills? Is your coffee table covered with magazines, TV remotes, coasters, candles, and old mail?

Clutter distracts buyers from looking at the home, and instead, they judge you as the homeowner on the way you live. You want buyers looking at the home, not your lifestyle. So box those things up. Less is really more.

jacksonville clean home for sale

Ensure all desks are free and clear of clutter. Remove bills, empty coffee cups, flash drives, and even family photos. Less is more, and we recommend just a computer monitor with a black screen, keyboard, and mouse, or just a laptop.

3. Take Out Bulky or Excess Furniture

Home buyers want to feel that a home is large enough for their needs. Bulky furniture that overwhelms a room can make a room feel smaller than it actually is. As a result, it may be necessary to remove bulky furniture and place it in the garage or better yet temporary storage. Use a home stager if necessary to create the best feel of the rooms for your home.

Likewise, excess furniture can make a home feel cramped. Perhaps you ordered a 5-piece living room set when your living room is really only suited for 4 pieces. Remove excess furniture by loaning it to a friend or neighbor until your home is sold. Otherwise, put it in the garage or temporary storage.

4. Make Those Showers and Tubs Spotless

Home buyers want to buy a clean, fresh home. Dirty bathrooms can sour a buyer's opinion of a home very quickly. As a result, it's important to use a little elbow grease and make your showers and tubs spotless while being free of soap scum, mold or mildew, hair, or any other sign of neglect and use.

5. Organize Your Closets

Unfortunately, many home sellers think they can quickly stuff things in a closet before showings. However, when home buyers look at a home, they love to open up doors and closets. They want to ensure a home has enough storage and closet space to accommodate their own belongings.

Similar to the point above about bulky furniture, an unorganized closet can make it appear much smaller than it actually is. An organized closet will make the space feel larger and also remove any distraction of the home buyer in looking at your personal lifestyle rather than the home itself.

organize-closets-to-attract-buyers

An organized closet can make a closet feel bigger, which is a requirement on many home buyers' checklist.

6. Remove Pets and Any Signs of Pets

For home buyers that love pets, this is not an issue. But for those that don't, a dog in the home or a litter box in the master bedroom can be a distraction and a deal breaker. Buyers that love pets will still buy the home regardless if there are pets or not; however, buyers who aren't fond of pets may think twice. In other words, pets and signs of pets can only hurt the sale of your home, not help it.

In turn, it is important to remove all pets for showings. Hide litter boxes, water bowls, leashes, and all other signs of any pets. While this may seem like overkill or inconvenient, the intent is to maximize the possibility of selling your home.

Bottom Line

Getting your home ready to sell doesn't have to break the bank. Sometimes, it is the simplest of things that have the greatest reward.


ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

rob hastings realtor

Rob Hastings is a top-producing real estate agent in Jacksonville, Florida and helps buyers, sellers, and investors of homes and property throughout all of Northeast Florida. He works with his wife Nancy as a husband-and wife-team with Keller Williams Realty Atlantic Partners. When not helping his clients navigate the real estate process, Rob enjoys working on old Corvettes and playing music (guitar and piano). A U.S. Naval Academy graduate and former Naval Officer, he also loves boating and simply spending time on the water.