How to make your home more appealing to buyers
If you’re planning on putting your home on the market this season, there are things you can do to spice up your property to attract potential buyers.
If you're planning on putting your home on the market, there are things you can do to spice up your property to attract potential buyers.
Spring is the best time to sell a home, says Ally Piccolomini, co-owner of the Philadelphia branch of the home staging company Showhomes.
"Everyone wants a new change," Piccolomini says. "It's a lot easier with the [seasonal] transition and before the new school year."
Showhomes, a national company, opened its first office in the region last month in Radnor. Piccolomini, who has worked on homes in Kennett Square, West Chester, and Glen Mills, says the company's mission is to assist sellers with sprucing up their homes by focusing on three things: decluttering, depersonalizing, and deodorizing.
Piccolomini recommends removing excess furniture, accessories and personal items, such as family photos.
"Take away family photos so that a new buyer can come in and visualize the home with their family," she says.
Plus, sellers should make an effort to rid the home of bad odors. Cigarette smell and pet odors can turn potential buyers away.
Other simple things that can be done to make a home more marketable include painting the front door, painting the interior a neutral color, and highlighting architectural features. For example, painting the fireplace mantel white for big impact.
"It gives a calm, peaceful feeling to the room," Piccolomini says. "It gives it some balance."
The outside is just as important as the inside, so don't forget to take a look at your home's curb appeal.
"When people drive up that's the first thing they see. You just want to get them in the door."
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