I am always asked "What can we do to receive the best selling price!" (my answer to that, is "choose the RIGHT Realtor! wink, wink, nudge, nudge, haha)
You must be careful when putting a large amount of work into your home such as updating certain things. For example: Homes with brand new windows in your community may not be selling for any more than a home with old windows...so do not spend the money on that! In my opinion a home with a beautiful updated kitchen with newer appliances is always easier to sell than the home that has an original kitchen. However, just a heads up... (which is completely an "opinion" and "taste" thing) I see updated kitchens with the crisp, clean white cupboards put in, rather than oak or maple cupboards and I get numerous comments from Buyers that they dislike white cupboards and would rip them out immediately if they were to buy the home...even if they were recently put in to "update" the kitchen area. A kitchen is a huge expense and not everyone is going to put in a new kitchen to get a better price on their home. Remember, you might spend $30,000 on a kitchen just to bring your homes value up by $30,000..which is not a good return on your dollar spent. So have your Realtor research these types of things for you!
My next suggestion is to bring in a designer to give you a quick consultation on how to place your furniture, what to remove and colours to paint your home! (I have a designer as part of my team to help you out if needed)
If you do not have a lot of furniture or will be moving out of your home while in the midst of listing.... contact a "Staging" company to stage your home! This is worth the small investment. (I have my clients use ReStage for most of my vacant properties)
A few smaller (less expensive) suggestions are:
PAINT - neutral colours are best for re-sale
CLEAN - baseboards, light fixtures, blinds, carpets, cupboards (inside & out), windows
ORGANIZE - storage space, closets, book shelves, cd/dvd racks, pantry, file away bank statements, pay stubs & bills
DE-CLUTTER - remove small appliances from kitchen counter-tops, removed everything from bathroom counter-tops & the tops of dressers and side tables in bedrooms
DE-PERSONALISE - remove family photos throughout the house, framed degrees/diplomas, put jewellery away where it cannot be seen!
VACUUM, WASH & DUST - EVERYTHING!
Things to remember before showings: shovel sidewalks & driveway, remove any garbage in or around property, open the blinds & curtains, close closet doors, turn some lights on, make the beds properly!
TIP #1 - Open the windows for an hour (in the winter) to freshen the air; a few hours in the summer! :)
TIP #2 - Instead of giving some people a headache (and immediately turning buyers off) when walking into your home because you're over-powering the room with air fresheners or plug-ins...use my little trick of the trade!
**In a pan slice an apple from the top 4 times without cutting all the way through the apple. Use about teaspoon of butter placed in the middle of the apple and inside each sliced section - sprinkle a fair amount of cinnamon on top and put in the oven on 200-250 for an hour or two before showing the home.**
This is a "natural" scent, that smells like homemade apple pie! The majority of people do not get turned off by this scent versus a perfume, unnatural smell that may be over-bearing for potential buyers! :)
Closing remarks:
If you keep your home as clean as possible, buyers will immediately "feel" better about the condition the home is in and how well its been taken care of. Human beings are VERY visual, most people cannot see past the decor or colours they immediately walk into. Oh...and one last thing...if you have orange or red carpet anywhere in the house, RIP IT OUT! haha. Hope this all helps! Chat soon!
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