Are you thinking, “I need to sell my house fast in Long Island”? If so there are a number of things you can do to add value. However, not all of them are worth the investment. In our latest post, learn more about what to spend money on when selling your house in Long Island, NY and how to reduce your costs!
There are a few different ways you can opt to sell your Long Island house. You can choose to sell it as-is to a cash home buying company in long island or you can choose to list it with a Realtor or try and list it yourself (not recommended). While the first option requires little time and no money out of pocket, listing your property can get pretty expensive up front and throughout the entire process. It is important that you use your cash wisely, only paying for those upgrades and improvements that will really add value to your house. Here are just a few of the things we recommend doing if you decide to list your Long Island house:
Curb Appeal
Many people decide whether or not they will buy a house within the first few seconds of seeing it. Subconsciously, that first impression buyers receive is critical. You need to convey a feeling of warmth, making them feel at home from the minute they pull into the driveway. Even before that, the house has to show well in photos on the Multiple Listing Service of Long Island (MLSLI), Zillow, Trulia, etc. Spend money fixing up the landscaping and replacing things like the mailbox, address numbers, and front door. You will have to keep up with mowing the lawn and other landscaping needs. Each person who views the house should see a well-groomed front yard and a house that looks appealing from the street.
Here are a few low costs landscaping items you can do yourself that can typically be done for less than $1000.
– Re-seed the front lawn, fertilize it and water it. A nice green lawn will make the front of the house “pop”.
– Mulch the flower beds! Mulch is about $3 a bag at Home Improvement stores or have a landscaper do it.
– If a shrub or tree is dead, dying or in otherwise bad shape remove it or have it taken down. Overgrown shrubs should be pruned.
– Get rid of any and all junk in the yard. Old shed? Have it taken down and removed.
New Interior Fixtures
New fixtures are a great way to add more value to your house. Replace things like door handles, faucets, drawer pulls and cupboard hinges. You will want to properly budget for this as you might need more new doorknobs than you think!
New Carpets
Bad carpet is a HUGE turnoff for home buyers. Stains and wear can be extremely off putting when someone is considering the home for themselves. Adding new carpet throughout the house will refresh the entire space, making the area look new. You can buy carpet in long island for around $2.00 – $3.00 a square foot if you take the time to price shop. Lowes and Home Depot are usually pretty competitive. Go with neutral colors always! The tans and beige’s are always good. People seem to like LIGHT greys now as well. We like to use a Berber especially in bedrooms and basements. Seems to have a more richer look to it. If you have horrendous colors (by Long Island standards) like green or blue or purple, they should come out. If you have decent colors, maybe you can get away with having them steam cleaned.
Paint
Painting is the first thing many people do when putting their house on the market. While you can possibly do this one on your own, it doesn’t mean you should. A poor paint job will be very noticeable to buyers looking at your house. Spend the money to hire a professional to do the interior of your home. Be sure to budget a few thousand for this depending on the size of your Long Island house, and be sure to keep the colors neutral. We use linen white a lot, especially in bedrooms and basements. Lighter colors make rooms look larger. Light greys are popular in Long Island and most of New York for family rooms, living and dining rooms. Don’t try to spot paint over damaged areas. It will be noticeable to buyers and the home inspector, leading them to wonder what else you are hiding.
Define Spaces
Make the spare bedroom, the spare bedroom. Not the spare bedroom, gym, and office. By having undefined spaces, you can make the buyer feel confused subconsciously. If it is used more for an office than remove the bed. Either way, make it known what you are using the space for.
Spruce Up The Entryway
First impressions matter. When people walk in the door, they should receive a good feeling about the place. Spend some time sprucing up the entryway so people feel right at home. Add side tables, new art or a fresh vase of flowers.
Staging & Storage
It is highly recommended to hire a professional staging company while the house is on the market. This will allow you to pack up your personal items and store them at an offsite facility. Keep only your necessities at the house, allowing the rest of it to be taken care of by a professional. If it’s not in your budget to do the whole house, focus on having a few of the main rooms done. You will still want to remove your personal items during property showings. By storing them offsite, potential buyers won’t be faced with all your stuff you tried to hide in the closet!
Before you spend money making repairs to the house and doing some of these things to spruce it up, consider what selling directly could mean for your situation! With a direct sale, there is zero cost to you! Plus, there aren’t any agent commissions!
Hi! I am Joe Cordes and I am the owner of CoMax Properties, a local Long Island Home Buying company. If you need to sell an unwanted house in Long Island call me at 516-704-7025 or fill out the form below to get a no obligation CASH Offer.