Let’s consider that two similar properties in the same neighborhood go on the Houston real estate market at the same time. Both properties are listed for the same price, and both boast the same layout. Yet one property flies off the market in record time, while the other one sits without a single offer.
You may ask yourself: how could that be?
It must be understood that the price and value of a home are two entirely different entities. The price of a home may be based on its features, amenities, location and square footage, while the value of a home is something is based on the home’s overall impression. It is the feeling that buyers get the moment they walk through the door of a home. The Houston home that was sold very quickly probably had an excellent, perceived value. This may mean that the home may feel larger or more spacious. It may mean that the rooms seem more bright and airy; that they look fresh, updated and attractive.
The following tips can help you increase your home’s value in the Houston real estate market – without breaking the bank!
- Spaces automatically look larger when there is limited furniture and clutter. Consider clearing out all unnecessary furniture before you list your home for sale. If buyers feel like the rooms of your home are larger – even if they’re not – your home will instantly have more value than a similar home down the street. Rent a storage unit or have a garage sale to cut down on all of the excess in your home.
- Allow buyers to imagine themselves in your home. You can accomplish this by de-personalizing your home; remove personal trinkets, family photographs and taste-specific decorative items. In other words, create a clean slate that will allow buyers to focus their attention on your home’s details; not your high school diploma hanging on the wall.
- You can instantly increase your home’s value simply by paying attention to cosmetics. In other words, scrub your carpets, thoroughly clean all your appliances, inside and out, and clean off your kitchen countertops. You don’t always have to make purchases; often times, you can achieve greater value by simply making what you already have sparkle.
- The value of your home can instantly plummet if you fail to tend to broken or unsightly household items. In other words, buyers don’t want to see a leaky bathroom faucet, dirty and nail-hole ridden walls, and stains on the carpet. All of these things may not decrease the price of your home, but they will certainly decrease your home’s perceived value. In other words, don’t ever underestimate the power of tending to the small details. After all, the smallest details often make the biggest difference!
- Take care of your home’s landscape. An unkempt landscape can turn potential buyers off, even before they walk through the door. So grab your gardening gloves and make sure the outside of your home looks as good as the inside.