Top Ten Inexpensive Tips for a Fast and Profitable Apartment Sale

With apartment sales listings at all time highs and prices down in many markets around the country, it is important that your home stands out from the competition or at least shows well to prospective buyers.

The top ten inexpensive enhancements listed below were chosen to address common problems that may be overlooked by many sellers but are often major turnoffs for potential buyers. Correcting them may make your home appear much more desirable to buyers and at the very least will make your home a more attractive and pleasurable place to live.

Most buyers are looking for a home they can move into immediately without having to do repairs. Ensuring your home is in tip top shape gives you an advantage over your competition.

Top Ten Inexpensive Tips for a Fast and Profitable Apartment Sale

1. Paint over bright and dark colors

While your red, bright green or purple (my personal favorite) wall colors may have a special meaning for you, it most likely won’t for perspective buyers. Most buyers prefer homes with white/neutral colors on the walls and ceilings. White on the walls and eggshell white or similar colors on the ceiling are very popular.

Visit your local hardware store or home depot for other ideas.

2. Create more space…at least the illusion of more space

Having a lot of stuff in your apartment takes away from the space available and makes your apartment look smaller than it really is. Remove large/oversized furniture, excess clothing and other belongings. Many of these things can be placed in storage while you are showing your apartment.

Using mirrors and exposing your windows can also give you the appearance of more space.

3. Cleanup

Buyers don’t like to see a messy apartment. Thoroughly clean your apartment…including behind the furniture, behind the stove, refrigerator or anywhere else a buyer might see while viewing your apartment.

Windows should also be cleaned and cracked/broken panes replaced.

4. Let there be light…lots of light

A properly lit home appears more expansive and more appealing to buyers. Replace light bulbs with brighter bulbs and get new light fixtures if necessary. Also ensure window treatments and curtains are clean, attractive and let in lots of natural light. Lots of natural light is always at the top of the list for apartment buyers.

5. Get rid of the pet smells

Pet smells are a major turnoff for buyers. Ensure your pet is out of the apartment before showing it. Also, clean your kitty litter, remove your garbage and deploy room fresheners before showing your apartment.

6. Repair all cracks and holes

Cracks and holes in the wall, floor and other locations can lead buyers to think that your home is not properly cared for. Many buyers will begin to wonder what else might be broken that they are not able to see.

Small cracks and holes can usually be easily repaired with inexpensive plaster, putty etc from the hardware store. If you are unable to do the repairs yourself, it usually doesn’t cost very much to have a professional take care of them for you. Remember to paint after performing these repairs.

7. Fix leaky faucets and running toilets

In addition to wasting water and money, leaky pipes and running toilets leave a bad impression with buyers. Ask your super to have a look and make any needed repairs.

8. Wash or replace dingy / dirty curtains

Dirty or dingy shower curtains can cause your bathroom to smell bad and give the impression of untidiness. Keep them clean and simple or replace them altogether. If buying new ones, avoid overly colorful ones or ones with complex/busy designs. Neutral colors, whites and clear ones usually work well.

The right window curtains can help to give your rooms the perfect final touch while the wrong ones can leave your room dark or worse, badly decorated. Go for light colors and ensure they let the maximum amount of light into your home.

9. Re-grout bath tubs, shower tiles, bathroom and kitchen counters

The grout between tiles, tubs and counters often becomes discolored and develops mildew or mold. Likewise, water damage on your roof, walls or floor doesn’t make a very good impression. Improving the look of your tiles, tubs and counters can be easily achieved with an inexpensive tube of grout. Remember to allow enough time for it to properly dry before using water in the areas you repair.

Make necessary repairs to water damaged areas and paint or add new tiles if necessary.

10. Fresh fruit, cookies and flowers

Now that you’ve addressed all the possible trouble spots in your apartment, you’re ready for the throngs of buyers who are going to be dying to buy your home. Just a few more things and you’ll be all set to go.

The smell of baking can be very inviting. I love the smell of cookies but just about anything should work. If you don’t have time to throw something into the oven, pick up a few cookies at the store and lay them out in the kitchen or living room for all the hungry buyers.

A nice bowl of fruit also works well. I recommend a bowl of 3 or 4 different colorful and tasty fruit such as apples, strawberries, pears… for the buyer with a natural sweet tooth.

Flowers are appealing to look at as well as smell and are a welcome addition to almost anywhere in your home. I recommend having fresh flowers in the first room buyers enter in your home as well as in your master bedroom and next to any information about the house you have prepared for buyers. If you can afford them in other locations as well, it certainly won’t hurt.

Finally, you’ve enhanced your home and prepared for your buyers. The last thing you’ll need to do is…smile.

You may have had a hard day, a hard time dealing with the many real estate agents calling to get you to list your home with them, or a hard time dealing with all the people coming in to view your home.

None of this should be a factor when a new buyer arrives. Start smiling before you open the door and continue smiling until the buyer leaves. Along with all the work you’ve done and the treats offered, smiling reinforces the pleasant experience you want all buyers to have while viewing your home and hey…it makes you feel better too.

A few more tips for the road

Ok, I still had a few more tips after completing the top ten list. Here they are:

• Be sure that your doorbell works.
• Make sure that bathrooms and kitchens are spotless.
• Organize closets.
• Make sure all appliances and fixtures work.
• Repair existing wallpaper and restore floor surfaces.
• Repair kitchen cabinets, making sure doors and drawers work properly.
• Expand bathroom, closet and hallway size by installing mirrors and thinning out unneeded clothes and furniture.

Good luck with your sale.

Further recommendations:

Visit the For Sale By Owner Shop and search for:

• home staging
• home repairs

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