Why Clean Houses Sell For More Money
Looking at things from the perspective of potential buyers, they will probably clean their new house before moving in. However, for them even to consider buying a property, they need to be convinced. First impressions are vital when showing a property to potential buyers. The house needs to look new, livable, and appealing. So, let’s talk about why clean houses sell for more money and how to get the most out of knowing that information.
Real estate agents know the value of repainting, fixing stuff, decluttering, etc. However, when reading tips on getting the property in tip-top condition, we can notice that experts tend to forget the most essential and cheapest way of preparing a house for a quick sale.
Making the First Impression Count
Most sellers continue living in their homes after they have been placed on the market. This can be distracting for potential buyers because they find it difficult to imagine themselves in a home packed with kids’ toys, dust, laundry, and dirty dishes.
Every good real estate agent would tell you that the potential new owners should be able to look at the property as a clean slate, something that is their own to design and decorate. This is difficult to achieve if the house is already lived in, but with some thorough cleaning, it is possible. Also make sure to keep-up with how the outside looks as that first home impression is often the one that makes a difference.
Cleaning Is a Crucial Part of the Staging Process
Staged houses sell faster and for a higher price. It helps with what we’ve previously discussed because it gets buyers emotionally connected. According to the National Association of REALTORS® 2021 Profile of Home Staging, more than 80 percent of agents said staging helped the buyers visualize the property as their home. This minimizes the negatives and emphasizes the positives of a house, resulting in the best possible impression.
Cleaning Is Saving
If you do not clean the house thoroughly, you may end up having to pay for damages that could have been avoided. For example, layers of dirt and dust in the house can lead to respiratory problems for new homeowners. Pet stains on the carpet, when left unattended, might force you into buying a new one. Also, if you are selling appliances together with the house, cleaning will keep them in good shape for the buyers.
A Lot More than Meets the Eye
When people decide to buy a house, they are worried about how much they will need to invest in order to make it livable. Imagine purchasing a property to have the pipes broken and the foundations damaged in a couple of months. A clean house is a signal to potential buyers that the property was maintained with care and that such problems are less likely to happen.
The Need for Cleanliness Has Grown
Most of the agents will tell you that cleanliness has been an even more important factor in the past two years as a result of COVID-19. Clients can be reluctant to enter a property if they don’t feel it is cleaned deeply. Many showings during the pandemic were done virtually because of this. It can mean a lot to the potential buyers to hear that the house was properly cleaned before the viewing.
Essential Tips for a Sparkling Clean House
Cleaning the house for staging is not the same as your everyday cleaning. Since buying a property is a huge decision, be prepared for buyers who want to inspect every corner and check for flaws. In the worst-case scenario, they can give up on the purchase. Otherwise, they can use the poor first impression to negotiate a lower price.
So, let’s go through the process of cleaning for home staging and give you some useful tips.
1. Start with Decluttering
Decluttering is the crucial element of allowing buyers to imagine themselves in your home. Even when the sellers still live in the house, it is possible to design a decluttering strategy that will help prepare for all the visits from the buyers.
Start with removing your personal items. Pack collectible knick-knacks, personal family photos, and similar items in a moving box. Let the buyers imagine photographs of their families. Look around the house and identify the things you don’t use that can be packed in a storage unit until you move. Those can be kitchen appliances on the counter, artwork in the hallway, and even some furniture pieces.
Create a sorting system on what to throw away, what to keep, and what to donate. The room should have just enough furniture to feel comfortable while appearing larger than it is.
2. Make the Kitchen Spotless
The kitchen is the most important room in the house when it comes to selling. A clean and functional kitchen sells the house more easily than any other feature. While there is not much you can do in terms of design right now, you can organize and clean the kitchen to attract buyers.
Small appliances on the countertop, vases, recipe books, and other whatnots should be removed, packed, or tucked into boxes and closets. Dishes have no place on the countertop. Buyers may even look inside the cabinets or the dishwasher, so try to keep them well-organized. The buyers will also pay attention to the appliances, particularly the oven and stove top, so make them shiny.
Clean the cabinets, windows, and sinks, and dust the light fittings. Disinfect the floors before every open house.
3. Deep-Clean the Bathroom
The bathroom is the second most relevant room for sale, and it can be a deal breaker. After decluttering, clean all the fixtures, including the shower doors, bathtub, toilet, and taps. Use grout cleaner to clean the grout and wash all curtains and blinds. Ensure there is no sign of mustiness and mold when polishing the floor and metal finishes. Clean the mirrors and the windows. After one thorough cleaning, you will need to keep it that way, especially if it is constantly used. Empty the bins regularly, remove the laundry from the baskets, and wipe all surfaces regularly.
4. Freshen up the Furniture
The furniture you decide to keep needs to have a fresh look. Sofas and armchairs, especially suede ones, get dirty and shabby quickly. However, with the help of an upholstery cleaner, vacuum cleaner, brush, and cloth, this can be dealt with easily. The vacuum will help you collect all of the debris, while the upholstery cleaner and a brush are there for the final touches.
The cushions come next. Depending on the fabric, they will require different cleaning methods.
Don’t forget to clean the upholstered dining chairs, ottomans, and other elements. Deep-clean the mattress with the help of a vacuum cleaner and baking soda. If it is not too big of an investment, you can even choose a good fiberglass free mattress because they can be a great selling point due to their safety, comfort, and anti-allergenic properties.
5. Eliminate Odors
Every house has its specific smell. People who live there get so used to it that they don’t even notice it. The odors can particularly linger when left by cooking misfortunes, mold, and pets. Upholstery fabrics can be highly absorbent and hold onto those smells for a long time.
The most effective way to get rid of all those smells is to get rid of fabrics from furniture, rugs, and carpets altogether. If that is not an option, you can try cleaning them with baking soda. Sprinkle it over the surfaces and allow it to sit for a few hours. After that, vacuum thoroughly. You can also use household staples such as vanilla extract, white vinegar, and lemon.
6. Clean All the Floors
The floors throughout the house must be thoroughly cleaned to leave a positive first impression. Different types of floors require different cleaning methods, so let’s go through them in short.
Hardwood floors
Hardwood floors are a natural favorite, and if you present them well, some buyers will be willing to pay extra. To clean these floors effectively, use a vacuum or a dust mop to remove dust, dirt, and other debris. Then use a wet mop and mop pads to lift and separate the heavy dirt build-up. Use a floor deep-cleaner for sanitizing and disinfecting.
Tile floors
Tile floors are usually found in the bathroom, but they can also be installed in the kitchen, entryway, or other rooms. After some time, tiles show dirt, old grime, chips, and cracks. Aside from cleaning the grout, you should also use a steam cleaner to get rid of stains. If you can, replace the pieces that are chipped or cracked.
Laminate flooring
Laminate flooring is as easy to clean as it is to damage. When moving the furniture, make sure it is lifted above the floor so it doesn’t leave any marks. A soft broom and a mop will be sufficient for cleaning. For more intensive cleaning, use a floor cloth or a mop with specific cleaning fluid. Avoid using a lot of water because it can cause warping.
Carpeting
The best you can do with an outdated, ragged, or stained carpet is to throw it away. However, if it is not that bad and if you want to keep it, check with a cleaning professional if that is possible.
7. Clean Everything Else
Once you’ve dealt with all the major rooms and surfaces, you’ll want to tidy up anything that might be left. This means cleaning all of the windows, wooden surfaces, and other nooks that you might have left unchecked. Also, don’t forget about the porch and the front yard. These are the first things the potential buyers will see upon arriving, so they must be spotless.
Consider Hiring Professionals
As you can see, cleaning a house meant for sale is no easy task. It could take up a lot of your time, days, maybe even weeks. If you feel like you can’t afford to lose that much time, perhaps it would be more cost-effective to hire professional cleaners.
Don’t feel guilty about doing that. Most successful real estate agents use professional cleaning services. Professional cleaners also know what the buyers will be focusing on, so there is no chance that they’ll “miss a spot,” such as smudged appliances, discolored surfaces, and stained carpets.
Agents claim that hiring a professional cleaning service helps make a good first impression and thus makes the property sell faster at a higher price. Professionals will most likely see some imperfections that you are used to by now, and they’ll tidy them up.
They will deep clean the place, so it will be show ready for weeks after. It might need a quick sweep now and then, but your work will be minimal.
Most importantly, a professional cleaning service taking care of the house’s appearance will leave you enough time to focus on marketing the house and taking care of the moving details.
More Tips for Having a Tidy Home
A clean house is a perfect canvas for quick and easy home staging. So, since we’re here, we’ll give you a few tips on how to stage the home for visits from potential buyers.
- People usually have a hard time visualizing, especially when encountering a new space. Make it easy for the buyers to define each zone. For example, if you want to sell a spare room as a guest bedroom, remove the clutter, add a simple bed with a clean-lined headboard, and include a nightstand and a table lamp.
- Use neutral colors, such as white and gray, for bed linen, towels, tablecloths, etc.
- Open the curtains/drapes to allow natural light in.
- Use mirrors to make any room look more spacious.
- Add liveliness with greenery and fresh flowers in vases.
- When staging, think about the décor in the hotel rooms and lobby. They are usually depersonalized but also inviting. Try to achieve that vibe.
Putting your property on the market doesn’t mean washing your hands of everything that needs to be done and leaving the problems to the next owner. It requires a lot of time, effort, and money. Of course, some of these chores might be checked off of your list if you hire a real estate agency. Whatever you decide, know that a clean house is imperative for a quick and successful sale.
Final House Cleaning Tips
There are a number of surveys conducted as to which house or property sells for more money. And on top of the list is a clean home. It should be the first step in making a house presentable for interested buyers. A few stashes of cash for cleaning materials are definitely worth it, and will be returned to the seller in sevenfold. In fact, a majority of the agents believe that people pay more for a clean house.
The surveys say that cleaning is always on the top home improvement suggestions. Well, this is actually a must whenever a house needs to be sold. Who would want to buy a dirty house? Spend a little and reap the rewards.
In addition, there is huge difference between a tidy house and a super clean property. To make the house squeaky clean, here are a few additional tips that can be followed by sellers and real estate agents:
- Remove cobwebs. Buyers may not inspect every inch of the walls upon arrival, but clearing those cobwebs can surely provide a better aura for the property. And it’s not just the walls that should be out of those cobwebs; look into the other things too like the fans, windows, as well as the door frames. These are typically the places where webs build up.
- The lighting is important too in making the house look more presentable. It is recommended that lights should be replaced, especially those old bulbs where insects have infested.
- Polish everything! On the driveway, try to find oil spots and do best in removing the stains. As for the doorknobs, hinges, and drawer handles, these will look better when they’re shiny.
- When it comes to the windows, it is best if these are cleaned both on the interior and exterior parts. There is even a recipe for the perfect solution in cleaning windows. The cleaning bottle can be filled with ¼ cup of rubbing alcohol, 1/3 cup of vinegar, and use distilled water as the dilute agent. And the best time to clean these windows is on a cloudy day.
- Another important part of the house that needs to be cleaned is the kitchen, especially if the interested buyer is a Mom. Both the stove and the oven should be checked and cleaned thoroughly. To eliminate odors on dishwashers, a small amount of Tang (a breakfast drink) can be used. Empty the cabinets of all the things that are unnecessary too.
- And when buyers look down on the floor, it can be appealing if the carpets are clean and fresh. This can be done by shampooing the carpets, and vacuuming them as well. For wooden or tile floors, mopping would be good.
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Why Clean Houses Sell For More Money
About Anita Clark Realtor
Anita Clark has written 648 posts on this blog.
by Anita Clark Anita is a residential Real Estate Agent in Warner Robins Georgia, with Coldwell Banker Access Realty (478) 953-8595, aiding buyers and sellers with all their real estate questions on her Warner Robins blog.