Keeping in-line with our Home Selling Information Series, here are some reasons to list your home with www.livekistilano.com.
HOME STAGING, HOME RENOVATIONS AND REAL ESTATE MARKETING
How your home is presented to prospective Kitsilano Home Buyers can drastically influence the market value of your home and how long it takes to sell.
We have a fantastic marketing plan to market your home in the best possible way, which includes having professional photos taken, getting the floor plan measured and drawn, using high quality take away marketing materials, advertising the home on multiple websites and social media accounts and offering videos of the property so Buyers can show friends and family members. We want to keep the property top of mind.
There are a few things you can do at home to get it ready. The work involved in presenting your home to appeal to buyers can be a hassle, but a little bit of work now will help you get through the entire home selling process quicker. Kitsilano is an older community, and many of the condo buildings and homes don’t look very good from the exterior. Showing a clean and modern interior will help Buyers overcome the aging exterior. Some ways to increase appeal to Buyers include: cleaning, home staging, renovations (prior to selling).
CLEANING YOUR HOME TO WELCOME TO BUYERS
If you’re looking to sell your Kitsilano home, we’ll give you advice on where you should focus your attention in terms of cleaning and organizing. We’ll always suggest you give your house a good clean (that means everything from scoffs on the wall to a dirty stove). In terms of organizing, it could depend on the market you’re after (i.e. if you’re selling a family home, prospective Buyers are typically families themselves and can look beyond the kid’s toys in view). Otherwise, try to put away as many personal items as possible (this includes photos, trinkets, toys, clothes, etc). Keep the kitchen and bathrooms clean and tidy.
We want the Buyers to be able to picture themselves in the home by focusing on the layout and flow, without focusing on the personal details.
This Bedroom and Bathroom was Staged
HOME STAGING
It’s been proven that well-presented homes sell quicker and for more money than homes that are messy and haven’t been maintained. If your home is vacant or lacks much furniture, we’ll often suggest spending some money to stage the home so Buyers can visualize furniture placement and flow of the home.
Home stagers are generally interior designers that have a variety of furniture and household items that they’ll bring in to make the home look livable. The cost can be high, but if it helps the property sell quicker and fir a higher price, the cost is worth it. People are known to be terrible at visualizing the size of bed a room can fit or where to put the TV. Home Stagers will take the guesswork out of the design.
Often the home stagers will try to play to the prospective market of the home. Do you own a 4 bedroom Kitsilano house that a family will buy or a 1 bedroom Kitsilano condo perfect for a young professional?
Check out our post, 8 Staging Tips for Selling Your Home
This home was Renovated then Staged
EASY RENOVATIONS PRIOR TO SELLING
If you’re willing to do a little bit of work yourself, you can make your home look a little more modern and fresh, without major renovations.
This includes re-painting, especially if the rooms are painted a bright colour. Choose a simple colour (white, grey, etc) that can work with many design schemes.
Think about increasing curb appeal by adding plants/flowers (yes, even condo balcony’s could use some of these!) and cleaning/painting the deck. Choose low maintenance plants. You want to make your outdoor space look like an extension of the home.
Brighten your home using well-placed lighting. This makes the space more inviting, especially during the rainy months in Vancouver.
Try to ensure that all other home renovation projects are finished so the Buyer knows they’ll just have to move in. Seeing something unfinished leads to the Buyer to think about what else could be unfinished int he home – this isn’t what we want them to think.
LARGE SCALE HOME RENOVATIONS
If you’re considering doing a large scale home or condo renovation prior to selling your home, give me a call beforehand so I can give you my professional opinion on what current Buyers are looking for in a home (popular trends change) – I want you to get the most value out of the renovation.
Keep in mind that renovations can vary depending on if you’re going to live in the home for awhile after the reno (and want to enjoy the fruit of your labour), or if you’ll be selling immediately.
Our team has done many renovations in the past – everything from Kitsilano Condos & Townhomes, to Vancouver Specials. It’s a long process, but it’s very rewarding.
Kitchens and bathrooms get the biggest return on investment. A new, modern kitchen and a nice, clean bathroom always look good to prospective Buyers, because they are both large renovation jobs and they make the home immediately livable. Add storage whenever possible and use simple colours. Flooring also has a good return on investment – hardwood or a quality laminate is desired by most Buyers.
Give me a call if you’re considering a renovation, especially if it’s to increase the re-sale value when it comes to your Kitsilano House or Kitsilano Condo. This is a big project, so don’t skimp on the planning.
Looking for more information and selling resources? Check out the posts below:
- Why Sell With Us?
- Home Seller’s Guide – Kitsilano
- Sell First or Buy First?
- What’s Your Kitsilano Home Worth?
- Online Tools for Home Sellers
- 8 Tips for Staging Your Home for Selling
- Buying a Rental Property in Kits – What’s Involved
- Benefits of Listing with LiveKitsilano.com
- Why Fall is a Busy Season for Kitsilano Real Estate
- Legal & Closing Costs for Home Sellers in Kits
