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| Photo courtesy of NAHB |
Are you building a new home but need to wait until you sell your current home? If so, you’re not alone. Here are ten tips to selling your home, provided by the National Association of Home Builders:
You may think your house is perfect just the way it is, but a prospective buyer may not see it that way. To give your home "curb appeal" and make it more attractive to buyers, there are some tasks you should see to before you place that "For Sale" sign in your front yard.
Many of these suggestions are simple, common-sense items; others will require some time and investment. But you'll reap the rewards when a buyer walks into your house and exclaims, "This is the home I've been waiting for!"
1. If your home needs to be painted, this is the time to do it. The interior paint job should be fresh and clean and in a single, neutral color throughout. This is not the time to experiment with lilac walls in the bedroom. The same goes for the exterior. Don't forget shutters and windows. If your home has vinyl or aluminum siding, be sure it's clean. Moldy, dirty siding will tell a buyer that your home has not been taken care of properly.
2. The green shag carpeting still gracing your floors should be replaced. Old, matted carpeting will be a detriment to your home selling. Real estate agents all have a dozen stories of a home that sat and sat on the market until the old carpeting was replaced. Then, it sold immediately. If you have hardwood floors under old carpet, tear up the carpet to expose them; today's buyers love hardwood floors.
3. Make a list of all those little repairs you've let go. Then fix each one. The hole in the screen, the loose doorknob, the doorbell that doesn't work and the leaky faucet must all be repaired before buyers start looking at your home.
4. If your home's appliances, like the dishwasher, oven, refrigerator and washer and dryer, are old and outdated, it could pay to replace them. Buyers do not want to be faced with the possibility of having to replace appliances upon moving in to a new house. Shiny, new appliances already in place will be a big selling point.
5. Clear your house of clutter and debris. Get rid of piles of old newspapers and magazines, the old clothes that don't fit, the closet full of small appliances that don't work, dust-filled collections of knickknacks, etc. Clean, open spaces make your home look bigger to prospective buyers.
When you are ready to start thinking about building your new home, the first step is to hire an architect. Bonin Architects is licensed in New Hampshire, Vermont, Maine, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, Pennsylvania and New York (inquire as to other states). We're happy to talk to you about budgeting and costs, green building materials, and sustainable home design!