Savvy post-bubble home buyers today (it’s just a correction) require quality finishes and neutral color palettes in the homes they ultimately buy. If you’re considering selling your home in 2006 and need to decorate it before you put it on the market, remember that cutting-edge interior design and committed colors (loud, bold, modern) are often a red flag for homebuyers. Buyers consider “visual veneer” to be a mask for a home’s flaws.
After a year of listing properties in 2005 and eight years earlier on property searches with homebuyers as well as consumer inquiries after reviewing “1001 Tips for Buying and Selling a Home” in The New York Times, I compiled a list of houses. runs and strikeouts for those looking to sell their home in 2006.
behind
-Buy the best quality carpet pad that can make any new carpet “comfortable”, and homebuyers love comfort. Stay away from shag styles, buyers know it won’t last long in styling cycles.
-Install bamboo flooring in contemporary settings, bamboo is overtaking maple as the “new” light-colored hardwood flooring.
-Forget the parquet and veneered wooden platforms. Parquet flooring is still in disuse and buyers know that the thin wood veneer on wood products cannot withstand a lot of sanding to change stain colors.
-Take the time to paint walls, trim, and ceilings. Keep adjoining rooms in the same color palette, which will make your home appear larger and flow better. Clean up messy painters spills. Hire professionals to paint window studs and stair spindles.
–Unmatched furniture cover in a room that requires visual unification.
-Rationalize window fashions. Heavy curtains are in the minority. Think “let the light in” when putting up blinds and shades. Light and brightness can overcome other problems with the home.
-Test all door and cabinet knobs. Replace mismatched or inexpensive hardware for a quick upgrade. Buyers can rarely get past a knob that slips out of their hand when trying to use a door.
-Refresh closets with closet organizers to maximize storage space and paint a washable neutral color. Make sure buyers can see the back of all cabinets and cupboards. Lighting is often overlooked in closets, but buyers will always turn on the lights when they see a closet, big or small.
-Locate spaces on the walls for large and flat screen televisions. They are a “must have” for most homebuyers. Plasma televisions are fast becoming the “Monet” above the fireplace.
-Install technology wiring for high-speed Internet, cable and wi-fi, if you have open walls. “Wired houses” are becoming one of the main demands of buyers. Don’t overlook the toilets!
-Consider the appropriate level for finishes in kitchens and bathrooms. Buyers in a mid-priced neighborhood aren’t looking for high-end finishes.
-Clean every surface until it shines and shines. Clean can seal a deal. Don’t forget the windows.
-Polishing and waxing of hardwood floors to shine and blend an antique finish.
-Get rid of family and very personal photos. Buyers cannot visualize themselves in a house that is still territorially theirs.
-Edit your furniture and accessories in each room. Less is more, buyers are looking to buy your real estate, not your personal property.
-Make sure there is balanced lighting in each room for functions at dusk and in the evening. Faders help set the right tone.
-Taking the time to clean, organize, and paint foundations, attics, and garages. Many homebuyers have passed up a home they liked because it had a “creepy” attic or basement.
-Invite three full-time real estate agents to view your home before and after the interior design pre-market update.
-Install new light switch covers. Most buyers interact with these at home showings. Worn or outdated covers lack attention to detail.
not to do
-Install kitchen cabinets with stapled drawer fronts, buyers are looking for quality dovetail construction.
-Assume everyone loves stainless steel appliances. Word of mouth says that cleaning requirements are not for everyone.
-Wallpaper. Buyers never have the same taste as decorators. Take it down (carefully) and paint.
-Install inexpensive lighting fixtures for the center of the house and use interior fixtures outside. The right accessories tell buyers quality.
-Use mirrored walls. Remove all mirrors placed as backsplashes in kitchens, dining room accent walls, bedroom ceilings (I see them too much), and long hallways. Mirrored walls and ceilings say more about the homeowner than buyers want to know.
-Block the good room and the flow of the house. Awkward furniture placement can make a room feel smaller than it is. Keep in mind that groups of people will walk through your home together.
-Look at the front door. First impressions count. Paint the door, polish the hardware, and light up the entry area and house numbers.
-Stain newly restored floors in dark colors. If buyers want lighter flooring, they will factor in refinishing costs when they bid.
-Forget removing all dated and dusty windowsill flowers and plants. Budget for weekly fresh flowers and potted plants as you tour your home.
– Rule out the location of your home, the Southwest looks out of place in most northern climates and contemporary is hard to pull off in an old colonial style.
-Install inexpensive laminate flooring instead of hardwood in living rooms and family rooms. Shoppers walking through it hate the hollow noise that resonates from it.