Selling Mountains, Coast, Town & Country
With the troubled housing market of the past five years and banks still reluctant to lend, its no wonder homeowners hoping to sell are sitting on the market for months at a time. Buyers, meanwhile, are trying to find a balance between their dream home and one that’s affordable.
For those trying to sell a house, what are some quick and easy DIY projects that can help sell your home faster? We asked experts to share step-by-step instructions for completing projects bound to modernize your home, from resurfacing cabinets to eliminating home odors to re-caulking bathroom grout.
1. Create a welcoming entrance
If you don’t immediately impress potential buyers as they enter the home, you’re setting yourself up for a tough sell. Creating a welcoming entrance is arguably the most effective way to sell your home faster.
Doug Perlson, co-founder and CEO of RealDirect.com, shares the following tips for instantly improving curb appeal:
2. Mulch
Applying mulch to your front and back yards is another inexpensive way to make your home more appealing to buyers.
Jason Cameron, TV host and TruGreen partner, shares these strategies for mulching:
3. Eliminating odors
You may not notice odors in your home, but prospective buyers will.
Jill M. Banks of Happily Better After Room Redesign & Home Staging suggests using baking soda as a way to fight odors: “Baking soda is a natural odor neutralizer, so if a spot in the carpet still smells funky after cleaning, try sprinkling some baking soda on it, leave it for 15 minutes or so, then vacuum.”
She says baking soda can also be used in garbage disposals, trash cans, washing machines and refrigerators to knock out mystery smells.
4. Resurfacing cabinets
Replacing your cabinets is undoubtedly a major expense and will likely require a professional to complete. Resurfacing your cabinets is a cost-effective way to spruce up your kitchen, though.
Design expert Kathy Peterson offers the following steps to a perfect cabinet:
5. Baseboard repairs
The baseboards in your home are subject to plenty of wear and tear over the years. To make some easy repairs, Frank Foti, business manager adviser for Mr. Handyman, offers these tips: