Tony Barker considers helping people understand how to sell their homes. Let's talk positive. What can I do cheap and simple (not easy maybe, but simple) to spruce my house for sale?
You do not need to remove pictures or all of your furniture. Pack the stuff you do not need or use daily for the next 90 days. Example: that cute ceramic blue and pink 3 foot girraffe (or any other animal) should be packed and put in the garage for moving. Your 2+ years of food stores for hurricanes, floods or millineum changes should be packed as well. Pack the valuables, weapons, and other things that could be broken or stolen that is important to you. Hide the valuables, cash and prescription drugs from easy access. The garage, shed or off site storage is best.
LIGHTING:
If you love the dark, great but buyers want the light, bright view to see your beautiful home. Forget the warm, rich approach, you want light. Clean or replace light bulbs with better wattage. Open blinds, drapes and remove solar screens during the sale.
CURB APPEAL:
You need to walk past your home and see a majority of it under or through trees, shrubs or bushes. Take the tree bottom limbs to, at least the gutter line. Trim the bushes to below the windows back from corners. The buyers are buying a home not a tree. You may love the seclusion but they will not see your home. Clean up clutter (natural) flower beds.
CAULK and PAINT:
Expensive to have done. Cheap if you can/do yourself. Touch ups, accent walls or total paint over can be a fast and cheap. Caulking is cheap fast and fun if done with your kid. Baths, kitchen and alike can fix wonders for a few bucks.
NEW CHEAP STUFF:
Go to the dollar store (and hardware store, walmart, etc.) and get new stuff to replace instead of clean hard stuff. AC filters, drip tray in ranges and cooktops, toilet seats/lids even lamp shades! Caution, don't be shocked... Maybe a $5/$10 dollar light fixture to replace that ugly one you hated for years.
CLEAN FUN:
Get a pressure washer. Rent it, buy it, borrow it. It is fun, dangerous if misused and loud...What could be better. Wash the driveway, bricks, boards (stand back), fence and lots more... do not use on pets, kids or spouse (trust me).
DUST, SWEEP AND MOP:
Spring clean is not fun, but is cheap. Remember bleach, ammonia, lemon juice, baking soda and vinegar are great cleaning products when diluted with water put in dollar sprayers. DO NOT MIX (trust me).
A FEW PLANTS NEVER HURT:
If you have a green thumb, you probably already have these. If you are like me, buy plastic ones. Plus you can take them to your new house. Dust them regularly.
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