An Elevated Approach To Listing Homes Today
Planning to sell sometime soon? The truth is, today’s ever-evolving real estate landscape looks nothing like the fast-paced, highly competitive sellers’ market of the past few years. So — how can prospective sellers stay one step ahead? By working with an experienced agent who brings a strategic approach to elevating homes by fusing appearances and value.
Keep reading to learn how our team can take your next listing to new heights and maximize your bottom line!
#1 Capitalize On Curb Appeal
Curb appeal can be the key to catching a homebuyer’s eye. Unsurprisingly, if the exterior of your home is inviting and attractive, people will be drawn to see what’s inside, too. Take a look at the outside of your home and your landscaping as though you’re seeing it for the first time. How does the grass look? What about the front door? Can you see fingerprints everywhere? Are there obvious cobwebs? Does the door hardware look tarnished or out of date? To give your home a welcoming look that radiates from the outside in, we’ll make the following suggestions as needed:
- Have the exterior of your home, the driveway, and the walkways pressure washed.
- Repaint the exterior, front door, and porches or decks if necessary.
- Keep the lawn green and freshly mowed, trim all hedges, and plant flower beds.
- Consider adding window boxes beneath strategic.
- Replace the mailbox, set out a new welcome mat, and hang house numbers that are easy to read.
- Illuminate the porch and front walkway, especially if you plan to have showings in the evening.
- Hire a professional cleaning service to make sure your home is fresh and clean from top to bottom including the windows inside & out.
- Refinish your hardwood floors or add a fresh coat of sealer. Any carpeting should be in top condition, so you may need to look at replacing carpet in certain areas, or have it deep-cleaned before your house is placed on the market.
- Take care to keep the parts of your yard not immediately visible to viewers looking as neat and tidy as the front.
#2 Clean The Clutter
When selling, it’s important to make it easy for homebuyers to envision their own belongings inside your home. The solution? Creating a blank canvas by cleaning out clutter and excess furniture. This includes removing toys, family photos, refrigerator art, and other personal items. Pay special attention to countertops in the kitchen and bathroom. Packing up unnecessary items from shelves and closets is a great way to show potential buyers how much storage space they’ll have to work with. Conversely, if your property is empty, renting a few key furniture pieces can be a real game-changer!
If you’re planning to sell your home in the near future, check out some of our resources to help get you started:
#3 Keep Things Light And Airy
Even if it’s your go-to look, bold colors can turn buyers off. To keep living spaces looking clean and open, we suggest off-whites and creams instead. After all, a light-neutral paint palette makes it easier for buyers to visualize their own furnishings and art in the home. You can still have pops of bright color, just use them judiciously to set off the rest of the room, like with accent pillows, a throw, or a piece of art. If you’ve recently removed paintings or framed photos from the walls, you may want to refresh the paint to eliminate any shadows.
Learn more about minimalism home trends in our blog post here.
#4 Consider Meaningful Renovations
By now, it’s common knowledge that luxury homes are expected to have stainless steel appliances and stone countertops. You may not need to completely renovate your kitchen, but consider installing new countertops if necessary, as well as replacing the hardware and any mismatched appliances, painting dark cabinets, and updating the floor. Coordinated fixtures, like all stainless steel, can create a more high-end look than you’ll get with a mix of different finishes.
At the same time, bathrooms with a spa-like ambiance are a prized amenity among more affluent buyers, so take this into consideration as you plan to put your home on the market. Make sure the master bath in particular has clean cabinetry, updated plumbing and cabinet hardware, and upgraded tile. You can set a relaxing scene for buyers by replacing your personal toiletries with high-end soap, putting out new plush towels in white, and keeping tile and shower doors sparkling clean. A whirlpool bath or new soaking tub as a finishing touch can help seal the deal!
Thinking about making some upgrades to your home before selling? Read some of our blog posts to help you prioritize:
#5 Leverage The Power of Concierge
As a part of the Compass DC network, our clients have access to Concierge, the hassle-free way to sell your home faster and for a higher price by getting fronted for the cost of services like staging, flooring, painting, and more.
Discover Concierge in this before and after blog post: The Concierge Effect
#6 Unlock The JST Difference
At the Jenn Smira Team of Compass DC, we’re driven to perform for our clients. We believe in thoughtful, meaningful, full-service real estate — not only to get the best result but to deliver the best experience along the way. Over the years, we’ve put together a world-class team of professionals who help clients buy and sell across the entire Washington DC Metro area. With over 50 years of combined real estate experience, our team does it all — from marketing and PR to negotiating, staging, and listing management. For you, that means a five-star experience from the team you can always count on. Together, we’ve redefined the process of buying and selling in DC. And the best part? The results speak for themselves.
Our Impact, By The Numbers:
#37 WALL STREET JOURNAL’S REAL TRENDS 1000 AMONG LARGE TEAMS IN AMERICA (2022)
2000+ CAREER HOME SALES (TEAM)
Top 5 REAL ESTATE TEAM IN WASHINGTON, DC (2018-2022)
#1 TEAM AT COMPASS DC, 2019 & 2020
$1 BILLION SOLD
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