The most obvious ways to make a house more appealing to buyers are to clean it, declutter, and fix whatever possible. Most resources dedicated to this topic will also suggest that you increase curb appeal and use lighting cleverly.

All these things are definitely important and you should do them. Curb appeal, in particular, offers a lot of room for improvement. However, following those “standard tips” has long become the basic requirement for any home seller. Today, if you want to win over buyers and persuade them to pay more, you need to “step outside the box” and offer better perks as well as make more interesting improvements to the home. The majority of these things won’t require a large investment, but they will make the property much more attractive.

1.     Smarten up your home

It’s an old trick to leave something valuable in the home, tech in particular, to entice the buyers. No doubt your huge TV will still attract some attention, but this is hardly the impressive move today that it was ten years ago. Today, if you want to make your home more appealing you need to make it smart.

According to data from Juniper Research, there will be 1.3 billion connected smart homes in the world by 2024. And that number will keep growing as this technology evolves and becomes better and more efficient, thus becoming more attractive for homeowners.

You can instantly boost the value of a home by installing smart locks, lights, and thermostats. This is the bare minimum of IoT tech that you should have to announce your home as smart. Be sure to do this if you are targeting millennial buyers as they are a highly connected generation.

2.     Back up your reassurances with paperwork

Arranging an independent home inspection is one of the basic steps which homebuyers are advised to take. Your home will definitely have to go through an inspection and this may lead to the unpleasant matter of the buyer requesting repairs. This can often be a deal-breaker on either side, so such conversations are best avoided.

You can go a long way towards preventing this by ordering a full inspection in advance and providing prospective buyers with signed reports from independent inspectors. You can also use this opportunity to make some minor repairs, which you will be able to present in a good light by backing them up with the inspection reports.

However, home inspection isn’t the only way to help home buyers feel reassured. Today you can purchase home warranty coverage to protect the main home systems and appliances, such as plumbing, electrical wiring, oven, etc.  Buyers will be reassured not only that all these things are in good condition but also that, should something happen, they will be covered for repairs. For this particular plan to work though, you need to choose a reliable home warranty provider among the many that are operating in Massachusetts today. Choose home warranty coverage that will work for the new homeowners from a company that has a good reputation which anyone can check online.

Take your time studying the terms and conditions offered by the company to make sure they don’t contain any loopholes which the provider can exploit to avoid making payments. Your buyers will, you can be sure, check all these things, so the home warranty plan you include in your offer must represent good value. Statistics show that plans of this kind can help add $2,300, on average, to the sale value. The plan itself, however, only costs about $600, so the seller definitely wins.

3.     Use the curtain magic

The impact curtains have on the house interior is often underestimated. This is a mistake that you, as a seller, cannot afford to make. Replacing the curtains can instantly transform any room and make the space much more attractive to prospective buyers.

First of all, this form of decor will allow you to make the ceilings appear higher. This is a great trick for smaller rooms which might otherwise look cramped. To achieve this visual effect you should hang the curtains right under the ceiling and ensure they are long enough to brush the floor. This will not only “lift” the ceiling visually but also make the windows look bigger.

For maximum effect, use curtains with a colorful graphic print on top and sheer the rest of the length. You can also use some interesting and unusual ties and rods (like branches and leather belts) to make the room appear more stylish. Light touches such as this set the mood and can be a great help when staging the room.

Note too that using the same trick with the shower curtain will make your bathroom appear more spacious.

4.     DIY it right

You don’t have to hire an interior designer or buy expensive furniture to make your home appear stylish. If your decor is the worse for the wear it won’t fetch a high price for them and it will drag the whole house down with it.

However, if you can get creative with some DIY furniture restoration, you can transform those boring and shabby interiors into something quite dazzling. This will definitely help to leave a better first impression on the buyer, and this is exactly what you need to make them fall in love with your home.

Final Tip: Let the Buyer Experience All These Wonders

Now that you have done all this to make your home as attractive as possible to the buyer, there is one final touch that you can add to win them over, and that is letting them experience for themselves the amazing feeling that comes with living in this new home.

The easiest way to do this is to let them spend the night there to enjoy the property that they are considering buying. Only do this though for the most serious buyers and consult your agent first. Sadly, not everyone can be trusted this far. However, if the situation is looking favorable to you, this might be the move which will tip the scales for you. Consider this approach in particular if you need to sell fast.

Other Real Estate Resources:

• Fresh paint can go along way in selling your house.  Anita Clark shows us what paint colors are trending for maximum appeal.
• What is a pocket listing?  In most cases as Bill Gasset explains, pocket listings are not usually in the best interest of the seller.  Furthermore to protect sellers, NAR is banning pocket listings.
• Selling a home as-is can certainly have it’s challenges.  Paul Sian gives us some best practices for selling a home as-is

This article, Not Your Regular Ways of Making Your Property More Attractive for Buyers, was provided by Kevin Vitali of EXIT Group One Real Estate. I have helped 100’s of home buyers and sellers over the years and am confident my experience and skills can make purchasing your next home a pleasant experience. Please feel free to reach me at 978-360-0422 to discuss your upcoming purchase.