Home Sweet Home: Design Tips To Help Your Home Reach Its Price Potential

The US housing market remains a little tricky to navigate; house sales lifted briefly in March 2018, but the shortage of housing stock and rises in prices are enough to make buyers a little cautious. If you’re looking to sell, creative thinking can help you win buyers over and ultimately get a better price for your house. Whether it’s making small changes to bring your home up to date with the latest interior design trends, or finding unique ways to inspire your buyer, here are some top tips for presenting a dream home.

First impressions count

A recent study has shown that we form long-lasting first impressions of people in less than a minute. Similarly, potential buyers will quickly form an impression of your home as they arrive. You can maximize your home’s ‘curb appeal’ by ensuring that the yard is clean and tidy, the lawn is mowed, and any obstructions such as kids’ bikes etc, are stored away. It also creates a great impression if the entrance is colorful; blooming flowers, a blooming landscape picture or a freshly painted front door make a great impact.

Sell the dream

To make your home seem worth its price tag, it’s time to inspire your buyers. Selling the family home? Keep it tidy but not clinical; a wall chart of everyone’s activities or dining table set for a fun family meal shows that it’s a house which is full of love and laughter. If it’s a quiet apartment for two, set up a calm area where you might read your papers with a coffee (the smell of freshly brewed coffee has also been proven to be particularly inviting). You could even set the bathroom with a luxurious candle and pile of magazines for those indulgent weekend baths. If a room can take a double bed, put one in there, even if you prefer to use a single. It helps the buyer to visualize the space and imagine themselves living there. In the future, buyers will be able to use technology to stage or visualize their furniture in your home; until then, you can help create the picture.

Fixed up, light and bright

In order to command a worthy price, make sure your home looks well cared for. This may include fixing easy things, for example replacing that broken toilet seat, hanging the picture frame that’s sat waiting to go up for a year, or changing the lightbulb in the garage. Declutter where possible; not only will it make rooms look more spacious and organized, but scientists have also found that it can benefit your mental health. Finally, brighten rooms where you can, whether that’s with a fresh coat of paint or better lighting solutions.

With simple tweaks to the design of your home, you can help to ensure that it reaches a fair price. Houzz app and others provides millions of images you can browse for inspiration. Creating a great first impression, selling buyers on the dream and making sure your home looks well loved will all help to push that price tag. Don’t be afraid to leave your unique mark on your home; it doesn’t need to be completely neutral, so long as your buyers can see themselves living there. Let them feel the love.