You’ve done it – you’ve decided you’re ready to retire without compromise and enjoy a lifestyle catered to you, filled with five-star amenities, gracious hospitality and impeccable service. You’re ready to live the good life and spend your golden years worry-free and carefree in distinctive retirement living. Now, all that’s left is to sell your current home – something that many people just don’t want to deal with.
“Selling a home, even in today’s hot market, is a lot of work and a lot of stress,” says Vanessa DiPaolo, Director of Sales at The Terraces at Bonita Springs, the only LifePlan Community for senior living in the Bonita Springs area. In fact, all the work that goes into selling a house is one of the reasons why seniors may drag their feet when it comes to moving into an upscale retirement living community like The Terraces. But with a little help from the pros, says Vanessa, selling a home doesn’t have to be a headache – or a hindrance to you moving into a lifestyle you want and deserve.
“There are some best-kept secrets when it comes to selling your home and getting the best price available – and the least amount of hassle,” she says. “These ‘secret’ tips are all commonsense and easy to accomplish when approached in the right way. Take a look at some of our top tips, and start making your plans to downsize your home and upsize your lifestyle at a Life Plan Community like ours.”
Tip 1: Price your home appropriately.
Step one: Find out how much your home is worth. Step two: Price your home about 15 to 20 percent lower than what your home is worth. Step three: Prepare to be swarmed by buyers and bidders. Everyone wants a deal, even in the housing market, and pricing your home slightly below market value will ensure that more people will have eyes on your listing – and more people will be eager to bid. More often than not, the competing bids will drive up your price to more than what your home is worth. While this can seem like a risky strategy, it’s a great way to make your house a hot commodity.
Tip 2: Stage your closets.
Storage is one of those things that every buyer wants, but they don’t really realize it until they see it (or don’t). Go through your closets, remove half or more of the things in there and then organize what you have left – just enough to give them ideas on how they can organize and store their stuff.
Tip 3: Let there be light.
Good light can make or break a sale. It also makes your space look larger, more cheerful and more attractive overall. Remove heavy drapes and make sure your windows are sparkling clean. Put in higher-wattage light bulbs, and if a room feels dim or gloomy, add floor lamps or other light sources. People subconsciously want a bright and cheery house – and light sources are the easiest way to do that.
Tip 4: Don’t over-upgrade.
Less may be more when it comes to making upgrades. A fresh coat of paint, new hardware and upgraded light fixtures will give you more bang for your buck than converting your attic into a guest bedroom, completely remodeling the bathrooms or dropping $5K to make your kitchen look like something out of Chip and Joanna Gaines’ catalog. While buyers may have completely different design tastes than you, everyone wants a home that feels well cared for, clean and tidy – and that’s easily accomplished by making little repairs and doing a deep clean.
Tip 5: Depersonalize your home.
We imagine you love your home, but in order to make buyers fall in love with it, you have to remove the emotion from the equation and be business-like. Buyers want to envision themselves in your space, which means you’ll need to get yourself out of there. Remove family photos, memorabilia, personal keepsakes and other “personal” touches. Consider hiring a home stager who can give you tips and help you rearrange your furniture to best show off your home to its full potential.
Tip 6: Be ready to show at any time.
Many buyers will want to schedule showings in the evenings or on weekends, but you never know for sure when a buyer may want to drop by to check things out. You’ll have to be available at any point, so be sure to maintain a clean and show-ready home. Make sure bathrooms are always clean, the dishwasher is emptied, your pets are out of sight (along with their personal items like litter boxes, toys or food dishes) and beds are neatly made. This can be more than a little inconvenient, but it will get your home sold more quickly.
Tip 7: Make a great first impression.
You only get one chance to make a great first impression – and no matter how lovely the inside of your home is, the buyers will start making judgements about your place as soon as they pull into the driveway. Your home’s exterior is a buyer’s first chance to imagine “coming home” to your place – so make sure it looks warm, welcoming, inviting and safe. Typically, you can get a 100% return on the money you spend upgrading your curb appeal. Make sure your landscaping and trees are pruned, and consider adding brightly colored flowers in pots to make the porch look even more inviting. Entryways into your home are also important, so make it look inviting as soon as they step through the door. Don’t forget extra touches like fresh flowers or a plate of freshly baked cookies to make the place smell and feel homey.
About The Terraces at Bonita Springs
Recreation, special events, holiday celebrations, educational programs, guest speakers, and a variety of inspiring activities take place throughout the year at The Terraces at Bonita Springs (TheTerracesatBonitaSprings.com) as part of the community’s active lifestyle programs. The Terraces at Bonita Springs is the only LifePlan Community for senior living in the Bonita Springs area. Living choices include independent living, assisted living, memory support, skilled nursing and rehabilitation. All levels of care, including assisted living, skilled nursing and memory support, are open for direct admittance with no entrance fee.
For more information, visit TheTerracesatBonitaSprings.com or call 239.208.6963.
Recent Comments