7 INTERIOR DESIGN TIPS TO SELL YOUR HOUSE FASTER AND GET A HIGHER RETURN
Selling your home is tricky business. You allow strangers to come and look around a place you called home. You hear discussions about your choice of color and decor, some not-so-nice comments about your home, and after all that, you face customers who don't want to purchase your house after all.
It can be disappointing and frustrating at the same time. While selling your home will always be a difficult decision emotionally, you can turn it into a substantial financial gain with just a few design tweaks.
Home buyers are a different variety of customers by themselves. They have eyes that escape nothing. But, most home buyers are drawn to a space with certain specific characteristics. We have managed to identify these features for you, that can help your home go from good-to-great and drab-to-fab, all while keeping your expenses in mind. Here are the very effective and affordable interior design tips you need to know, to strike a lucrative deal while selling your home.
GIVE AN UPGRADE TO YOUR KITCHEN
Kitchen is believed to be the heart of the house. Most potential buyers scrutinize this place thoroughly. Hardwood or expensive looking tiles, granite counters and floating islands, along with undermount sinks add an immediate sophistication to your kitchen.
Your kitchen will get you almost 85% of your investment back. So do consider these upgrades. If you already have these in your home, give them a good rub, and get them all gleaming and polished. On the other hand, if a countertop or floor replacement is beyond your budget,just invest in some painting up, and new cabinet hardware. Throw in a high-end appliance in the kitchen to create an impression in the minds of potential buyer that everything in the kitchen is niche and expensive.
STEAL SPACE AND ADD A ROOM
It's not rocket science, but plain math really. A four-bedroom house will get you a higher price than a three-bedroom house (even if they are the same size). Dividing a big room into two bedrooms will elevate your house value. But do ensure none of the rooms are too small.
LIGHT UP YOUR HOME
A well-lit house is instantly liked. Install chic and contemporary lights in your house. Replace old-fashioned track lights with halogens or vintage chandeliers, that add drama and texture to a room. You don't necessarily need to splurge. You will find plenty of bargain options in the flea markets in your neighborhood.
Proper lighting can make your house look warm and welcoming. Have optimum and different styles of lighting in your house from ambient or overhead light, to task light for specific tasks like reading, and of course, accent lights to draw attention to the most beautiful and done-up parts of your house. Also, pay attention to natural light. Make sure the potential buyer sees that your house gets plenty of sunlight. If that's not the case, make some small innovations to ensure that happens. Cutting the bushes outside can pour in sunshine in the rooms. Another simple trick of changing window treatments can take a room from dull and gloomy to vibrant and well-lit.
ADD PERSONALITY TO YOUR HOUSE WITH A BEAUTIFUL FRONT PORCH
A beautiful front porch is the pride and luxury of a homeowner. It serves as an affable place for intimate and social interactions. It is the first impression of a home and is basically the outdoor living area. If your house already has a porch, a potential owner can already see that you have lived the good life here. On the other hand, if it doesn't, think of adding one in the front. It will soar the value of your house. However, it must be mentioned that, to accommodate seating options in a porch, it must be at least 8 feet deep, less than that would make the area too constraint for traffic flow and outdoor seating.
If not a full porch, you can add a majestic touch to your house with a portico too, which is basically a smaller porch that shelters the front door. There are a wide variety of styles and materials to choose from, for both porches and portico. Do your research and find out the style that complements your house the best.
KEEP THE STORAGE SPACES IMPECCABLE
It's not just all about the looks. The utility factor too plays a big role in buyers picking a home. Encash on this need and have an edge over other houses in the market, by creating impeccable storage spaces.
Take most stuff out of your closets. Give away things you have not worn or used for more than a year. Then take the remaining stuff and arrange them aesthetically. Neat piles and sleek coat hangers will make this feat easier for you, and add an overall elegance. Also make sure to keep your cupboards and closets very clean and tidy. Remember buyers will snoop and look everywhere. When you make the storage spaces neat and pretty, you are visually stimulating them, and they are imagining their clutter neat and organized in your space. Call it a mental illusion or a trick, but it always works.
On the other hand, storage is something, that no buyer can have enough of. Most homes have a room that becomes the unspoken junkyard of the house. Everything that needs to be hidden when the guests come, every thing that you need to dump goes in this room. What you have ultimately is a sorry state of a good space. When a buyer sees a room, or storage space in that condition, they are immediately repelled. Turn the fortunes for you by repurposing such a room. Throw out the junk, and turn it into a space that adds value to your house. Install decks and cabinets for storage purpose, (yes it can still serve as a storage option) but free floor space, and lay inexpensive rubber padding,a rug or a carpet. Throw a few cushy pillows around, some faux-flowers,add a small lamp, a table, an armchair and there you go! You have a new meditation, reading or yoga room (with storage).
CLEAN, CLEAN AND CLEAN
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Renowned interior designer and home stager Jill Vegas says, "Clutter eats equity, so if you want the best price get rid of the stuff." Keep your house completely clutter free and clean. The light fixtures, the walls and the cabinets should be squeaky clean. Rugs, carpets and furniture should be completely hair and dust free. No worn out upholstery, no torn wallpapers. Your appliances should look polished. The idea is, that, the buyer should find your home looking and feeling new and fresh. The more cleaner and clutter-free your house, the greater it's value.
MAXIMIZE SPACE
This is a tried and tested way to augment your house's value and fetch a better price. How to achieve space maximization? Home decor experts recommend opting for neutral colors on the walls. They create an effect of airiness and space. They also tone down dated finishes of a bygone time. If however, you don't want to go neutral but create an illusion of a larger space, paint the walls the same color as your drapery. It will give you a seamless and sophisticated look while making the space look larger. Another trick of the book, you can use is to regroup or reposition furniture away from the walls into cozy, conversational groups. Not only does it make your place look interesting, friendly and elegant, it opens up the room and makes it look larger too.
TO CONCLUDE,
Every home has a story to tell. Make sure yours tells the story the buyers want to hear. Price and position your house right, sell at the right time,maintain your lawns (if your house has one), create large spaces, create cozy corners, use attractive accent pieces, always keep your house show-ready(you never know when a buyer walks in ) and infuse your home with love and care. You will be surprised how fast and how many buyers you get and what price you receive!