Fall is one of the most beautiful times of year in San Francisco and the Bay Area and therefore is a perfect time to sell. The end of summer is an ideal time to get your home ready for an easy sale. Do the work now, and you’ll be able to sit back and enjoy the fruits of your labor when your home sells over asking price, faster than expected. Inventory continues to be low, and buyers are eager to find homes, it’s a seller’s market.
Do these three things now, and sit back and watch the offers roll in this fall.
1. UPDATE YOUR CURB APPEAL
Curb appeal is crucial because it’s the first impression and sets the tone for the rest of the home. Be sure to pay attention to the driveway, front door, and front walkway. Trim bushes, re-mulch, and clear out dead foliage or grass and replace it with flowering plants. You want the plants to look cohesive and engaging. Choose a mix of evergreen and perennials and seasonal blooms. Upgrades you make to the curb appeal of your home are sure to yield high returns on investment. The National Association of Realtor’s Remodeling Impact Report backs this up with data suggesting that landscaping projects often bring in higher sales and prices. Homes that did a landscaping upgrade saw returns of investments above 100%.
2. DECLUTTER YOUR ENTIRE HOME
Get organized. Tackle one room at a time. Start in the bedrooms and work your way through the entire home saving the garage for the end, so you have a place to dump things as you move through the house. When it’s time to tackle the garage donate or trash anything you don’t love or use on a daily basis. When you’re all done, the home and garage should look spacious and clean. It will help your home sell faster for more and at the same time prepare you for moving.
3. PAINT
Is the paint fading or chipping? Is the color outdated or too personal? Is mildew growing? If the house needs painting, choose a neutral color. White, cream (not yellow) and light gray are good colors for appealing to most people. If you want some ideas for paint combinations, go and look at 3 or 4 model home communities that cost more than your neighborhood and copy one of them.
