So you have decided to sell your house, whether by choice or circumstance selling a house can quickly become an overwhelming task. Given the magnitude of this transaction there are many regulations and requirements that need to be satisfied before the sale can be completed. While these rules introduce additional burden they also protect both the buyer and seller. The following tips should help reduce the stress associated with selling your house by helping you understand what buyers are looking for and putting it in the best position to attract them.

1. No Deferred Maintenance

Most buyers are not looking for a project; they want a house that is “move in ready”. Purchasing a home is one of the largest financial decisions someone will make in their life, they want to feel assured that they are buying a quality home and not a headache. Given this, it would be wise to have an inspection done on the house to see what sort of work is needed, then evaluate the benefits of having these repairs completed before putting it on the market. If having a couple pipes or wires replaced will allow you to sell faster and at a higher price then it is worth the investment.

1. Kitchens and Bathrooms

These are the rooms that people focus on. Let’s be honest bedrooms are pretty standard, four walls and a closet, not much there to get excited about. Kitchens and bathrooms have a lot more variation, having the right layout, size, cabinets, and appliances can make your house stand out among the competition. Most potential buyers are looking for these rooms to be spacious, functional and clean (I know the last one is sounds obvious but you’d be surprised by some of the things you see while viewing a home). Putting a fresh coat of paint in the bathroom or changing the knobs and hinges on your kitchen cabinets are minor things that can really make these rooms pop.

1. Open Floor Plan

As I mentioned in the previous point, buyers today are looking for space and functionality. One way to make it seem like a house has more space is to remove the walls. Having one large area that incorporates the kitchen, dinning room and living room creates a spacious feel and greatly expands the number of options a buyer has when deciding how to utilize the house. If you have the time and budget to make these modifications before selling your house it may be worth it, however even far less extreme improvements like creating a cut away between rooms can really open things up and create the impression that buyers are looking for.

1. Landscaping

As the saying goes, you only get one chance to make a first impression. When a potential buyer drives up to your house for the first time you want them to be impressed and excited about what they see, eager to come in and discover what else the house has to offer. While having a brown, weed field lawn isn’t going to be a deal breaker it certainly doesn’t help you any. If you are trying to sell your house for top dollar you don’t want the buyer to have any negatives in their mind. So before putting your house on the market take a little time to water and mow your lawn or trim the hedges, this will go a long way in letting the buyer know that you take pride in your house and have kept it up well.

Investing in these four areas will help you sell your house fast and for a fair price. If it seems like doing any of this would require too much time, money or energy we would be happy to discuss your current situation and help you develop a plan to get your Bay Area house sold now.

Please don’t hesitate to give us a call or fill out the form on this page if you are interested in a free, no obligation, consultation on selling your house.