There’s a lot of strategy that goes into preparing a home for sale and getting it into the best shape possible for a buyer. Thinking about what buyers want to see in a listing is a valuable part of the process. If you can nail down what home buyers want and how you can deliver that for them, you’re guaranteed to wow all your viewers and sell your home faster.
Unfortunately, buyers today are getting increasingly specific about what they want in their homes. While some of their requirements are impossible or unrealistic for you to meet, others are achievable even if they’re a little inconvenient for you as the seller.
We’ve compiled a list of 6 elements your listing needs to wow your home buyers and secure a good sale. Check them out, and feel free to reach out to Kristen Haus at Haus Homes Realty Group with any questions or for representation in your home sale.
6 Elements Your Listing Needs to Wow Home Buyers
1. Energy Efficiency
No buyer these days wants to purchase a home and then spend a lot of extra money making it energy-efficient to suit their needs and living style. They want to move in and have everything ready for them. While tiny Energy Star stickers may not seem super important at first, most buyers love the idea of their new energy bill being as low as possible.
A major thing you can do to make your home more energy efficient is to upgrade your appliances and windows. Not only does this make your home more comfortable, but it promises savings for your buyer by cutting down on their utility bill. Heat gain and loss via old, outdated windows can be responsible for up to 30 percent of heating and cooling-related energy use. Outdated appliances are not much better. Updating your home’s appliances with energy-efficient versions can make them between 10 and 50 percent more efficient.
Installing a smart thermostat, sealing your HVAC ducts, and increasing the insulation in your home are other ways to improve your home’s energy efficiency, but windows and appliances are a straightforward place to start.
2. Immaculate Cleanliness
This goes for your walls, counters, sinks, floors, and so on. Buyers are paying attention to how well you’ve taken care of your listing and how “lived-in” it appears to them makes an impression. For example, if your listing has any carpeted spaces, expect potential buyers to pay close attention to it. If it’s dirty or worn, a buyer may be turned off from the entire listing.
When listing your home, make sure you pay attention to the cleanliness of the space. Vacuum all the rugs and carpets thoroughly. Sweep and mop all the hardwood floors. Get into the cracks and corners of the baseboards to remove any dust and debris. Remove any waste and litter from all the bedrooms, bathrooms, and kitchen. Remove smudges from any walls and grimy floorboards. Get all the speckles and streaks off mirrors. Make sure the home is sparkling from various perspectives and heights to ensure each buyer has a good experience during their walk-through.
The cleaner you can make your listing, the more appealing it is to a buyer. Remember that no one wants to live in a home that clearly shows evidence of other people’s trash or mess.
3. Pay Attention to Curb Appeal
The view from the curb is the first impression your listing can make on buyers. First-time visitors might judge your entire home based on how it looks on the outside, so do your best to improve this experience.
This may be something simple like cutting the grass, trimming the shrubs, or planting blooming flowers in the front garden. It may be touching up the paint on the front door or porch. You could power wash the siding and front walkway, set out potted plants, and prune the trees.
Any improvements to the curb appeal of your home will prompt more people to see your listing. A home that appears welcoming on the outside always makes a good first impression.
This may be something simple like cutting the grass, trimming the shrubs, or planting blooming flowers in the front garden. It may be touching up the paint on the front door or porch. You could power wash the siding and front walkway, set out potted plants, and prune the trees.
Any improvements to the curb appeal of your home will prompt more people to see your listing. A home that appears welcoming on the outside always makes a good first impression.
4. Strategic Staging
When it comes to staging your home, it’s important to be tasteful while developing an atmosphere that will make your home most attractive. You want your home to look its absolute best while on the market, and staging is the best way to go about this. While you use your own furniture, it’s not a bad idea to display a fresh style with relevant décor by renting unique pieces to achieve the desired mood.
Fresh flowers by the entryway are always a great addition. Make your dining area inviting by setting the table and creating an attractive centerpiece. Turn off any outdoor sprinklers shortly before a showing, so your visitors don’t get sprayed. If you’re overwhelmed about staging your home, reach out to Kristen Haus at Haus Homes Realty Group for assistance.
5. Ensure your home has a pleasant aroma
Just like buyers don’t want to come into a listing and see dirt and crumbs everywhere, they don’t want to catch a whiff of any unpleasant smells as they’re touring your listing. It’s normal not to notice the smells in your home, especially if you’ve lived in the home for any length of time.
First-time viewers, on the other hand, are definitely going to notice. About a week before your open house or first viewing, do a smell check, even if that means enlisting the help of someone else less familiar with the space to identify any unpleasant scents throughout your home.
Here are some solutions if you’re looking to improve the scents of your home:
- Conduct a deep clean on all the carpets, rugs, and furniture, especially if you have pets that have left any of their precious aromas behind.
- Remove litter boxes and trash cans.
- Place a dehumidifier in any room that has a damp, musty smell.
- Clean all the showers, toilets, and sinks.
- Improve the kitchen sink drain smell by cleaning it with a cup of baking soda, followed by two cups of white vinegar. Let the mixture sit for a half-hour before running hot water down the drain for 15 to 20 minutes.
- Use clean, fresh-scented air fresheners throughout the home.
6. Invest in Exterior Lighting
Security is a big thing for the modern homebuyer. While investing in a smart security system for your home is a great way to attract serious buyers, you may be surprised at how appealing exterior lighting is.
If you want, you can even take the lighting in your listing a step farther by installing smart lighting features. This will allow the buyer to program and control their light system any time, anywhere. All they need to do is program the lights via a smartphone app, and they can control the lighting system from wherever they are throughout the day or night.
Bonus: The Top Tip That Ensures You Wow Home Buyers
Enlist the Help of a Real Estate Agent
It’s no secret that a real estate agent can work magic for your home sale by speeding up the process, making sure everything is done properly, and helping you find a great buyer who will make a competitive offer on your home. When you work with an experienced, professional agent, they’re dedicated to helping you every step of the way and can make the experience much less stressful, even enjoyable.
Here are just a few of the many ways a real estate agent can help in your home sale:
- Pre listing inspections and reports
- Staging your listing
- Helping you determine a competitive price
- Marketing your listing
- Hosting a broker’s open house to add buzz to your listing
- Hosting open houses and private showings
- Communicating with buyers and buyers’ agents on your behalf
- Negotiating offers in your favor
- Assisting you through the home sale and closing process
While you do need to pay your real estate agent a commission after they sell your home, most home sellers find that an experienced, reliable real estate agent more than earns their commission. You may end up making far more on your home sale with the help of a knowledgeable real estate agent than you would have made without them.
Kristen Haus is here for your El Dorado County real estate needs
The real estate market is a complicated beast that’s continually changing. Haus Homes Realty Group can help you navigate El Dorado County real estate with the most success possible. When you partner with us during the sale of your listing, you can rest assured that we’re going to support you the entire way, continuously striving toward the achievement of your real estate goals. We’ll help you make the most strategic, efficient choices for your listing to wow potential buyers and get the best offers on your home sale.
