Preparing your Silicon Valley home for sale can be quite a challenge because you want to make sure your home is the best it can be and tick just the right checkboxes as well.
See, you don’t want to spend a year getting ready, but you do want to make the appropriate preparations that will get the most qualified buyers interested in it so you can get top dollar for your property.
When we’re talking about staging your Silicon Valley home, you want to make the appropriate changes and adjustments that will bring a solid return on investment. Staging can help make your house stand out from the competition by ensuring you’re getting buyers who are keen on the decision they are about to make.
This proves ideal because it helps them feel more comfortable with both their choice and their decision, leaving little room for doubt or regret in the long run, which ultimately means a stronger offer for the seller!
To make sure you’re getting top dollar when selling your home, there’s no better solution than to hire specialists who have the right tools to turn one’s house into a real masterpiece.
Before Staging Your Silicon Valley Home
Buyers need to feel that there will not be any surprises at a later point in time. For example, they might get the surprise of higher costs after they have already moved into a home and are living there. Or even worse, such buyers can get into an escrow agreement with inspections done by professionals; however, on final inspection, it turns out that the home is actually different than expected or as described.
It is important for you to provide pre-sale inspections so that your buyer knows what condition the house is in before making an offer on it and negotiating about possible repairs during escrow which could result from this information being unknown before signing off on anything (which usually happens when negotiations happen due to some kind of hidden problem).
The best time to get the inspection done is before you put your home on the market – it may boost sales prices by 1-2%. You’ll want a pest report at the very least, a home inspection, and then an inspection for various components such as the pool, roof, chimney, etc.
By inspecting and picking out key repairs and doing them before marketing the home, you should be able to sell it As-Is once you do try to sell it.
Staging is All About Maximizing Your Home’s Value
Your home has to be attractive if buyers want to live in it. It’s almost like dating: there has to be a spark of attraction for the buyer to commit.
This, my friends, is what staging is all about– we want your townhome, condo, or house to appeal broadly to potential buyers possible. It’s time you make your home about them, instead of just doing things that are convenient for you.
The best return on your dollar for any pre-sale preparation, after inspections and repairs, will be cosmetic rather than structural changes. Now, it’s nearly impossible to tell what one item would “return” by itself, but as a package, you may see a 3:1 return on investment for minor tweaks.
- A bit of landscaping up in front
- Cleaning the home inside and out
- Removing odors (usually from pets or smoking)
- Applying a fresh coat of paint (as needed!)
- Getting new floor coverings as needed
- Decluttering– that includes sweeping through closets, cabinets, and other storage areas
- Depersonalizing (so buyers can more easily envision themselves moving in!)
Remember: When buyers feel comfortable and happy both emotionally and financially, they are more likely to write a better offer. A home that is clean, de-cluttered, and fresh-looking will do just the trick!
Dealing with Big Selling Rooms
The three most important rooms that can create an impact are kitchens, bathrooms, and master bedrooms. Of all the rooms in your Silicon Valley home, you must spend more time staging these and making them look stunning.
You might be wondering – what about remodeling these completely? You may not be able to get back the full cost of major improvements, but you can still make your home more attractive by doing a few quick fixes.
For example, say you have a kitchen that is 30 or 40 years old and in need of remodeling. You might be able to recoup some money by updating it a little so it seems new: install new fixtures, change up your lighting, install new appliances, update the countertop, and paint the cabinets.
So prioritize those quick fixes first. If time and budget allow, then go for your more big-ticket items.
How Much Should I Expect to Spend When Doing Staging?
I estimate it would cost about 1-2% of the home’s value to prepare it for sale on the market. This includes inspections, and repairs, in addition to staging.
Now if you’re just a little cash-strapped at this point, keep in mind that some options can be billed to escrow, but there are costs for them. Inspections usually come with two rates: upfront payment provides substantial discounts.
There are real estate affiliates that install flooring or other floor coverings and they will bill you through escrow or at least wait 60 days before being paid unless you pay them upfront first. However, these vendors (just like your inspectors) charge less if you can do so right away.
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A Final Word on Staging Your Silicon Valley Home
Homes in and around the neighborhood of Silicon Valley are almost always in demand. The market is changing and your home will sell faster and higher than other homes that are not staged and are move-in ready. Staging is not just about making your home stand out head and shoulders above the rest, but it’s also about making sure you get top dollar on your investment.
Remember: When you sell your home and increase the odds that you can sell it as is, a fair amount of work upfront will certainly be involved. Get inspected professionally by an inspector; take care of some key issues; then prepare aesthetically so that buyers want in with their offers for this property.
As you now know, a lot of that magic happens before a buyer even crosses the threshold or a “For Sale” sign graces your front yard.
Find out why I’m the top choice of buyers and sellers in San Jose, Los Gatos, Rose Garden, Campbell Willow Glen, Saratoga, Morgan Hill, Gilroy, and throughout the Bay Area. Let me fill you in on a few extra secrets when Staging your Silicon Valley Home. Talk to CJ today at (408) 406-6035.
