It is a tough market out there if you're trying to sell your home. But despite what you may think, it does not have to cost you a lot to polish up your house when you're ready to sell.
1. Spiff up everything on the outside of the home. Edge the yard and plant flowers.
2. Add lighting to the interior and exterior. While it may seem like a small expense, most buyers will probably drive by your home at night.
3. Touch up paint where needed.
4. Go with neutral paint colors on the inside.
5. De-clutter and tidy up the house.
6. Pay attention to the front door. Make sure it's spotless.
7. Deep clean the house.
8. Straighten up the basement.
9. Buy a pre-home inspection. It may cost about $300, but it will eliminate unpleasant surprises.
KMBC's Martin Augustine reported the Pawsat family has done all nine.
Amy Pawsat's dining room used to be a deep blue color. But not anymore. The colors are beige. Augustine reported that in real estate, beige is not a boring color.
"The majority of people who are buying are not looking for bright, happy colors," real estate agent Emily Aylward Vogt said.
Aylward Vogt said that a coat of neutral paint is an easy way to streamline.
"So buying a can of beige paint is going to all of a sudden widen the net of people that will go into this house and say, 'Wow, this dining room is really sharp,'" Aylward Vogt said.
Augustine reported that the Pawsats also repainted their bedroom in a neutral tone. The family also de-cluttered the home.
One place you might not think about when it comes to de-cluttering your house is your refrigerator. The Pawsats cleaned off everything except for two of their children's favorite magnets.
"I think it was harder on the kids. They like to see their stuff up there," Pawsat said.
While de-cluttering sounds easy, it isn't for most people.
"It takes a couple of Saturdays and a couple of Sundays and some determination to really to get your house to the point where everybody in the world's going to walk in and have big eyes and say, 'Wow! This looks great,'" Aylward Vogt said.
Augustine reported that real estate agents recommend paying attention to your front door. Make sure it is spotless with a fresh coat of paint and shiny new handle. Why? It's all about making a good first impression.
