Today I wanted to share 5 simple things you can do for under $200 to help sell your Myrtle Beach Home faster.  The reason for this post is that I was watching HGTV the other day and on the show the agent was recommending the sellers spend close to $30,000 in renovations including moving walls in the house, upgrading the entire kitchen, and replacing the master bath.  As I watched the show I kept thinking to myself that while on TV the sellers have an extra 30K sitting around as well as a full crew to do all this major construction in under two weeks, what about normal sellers?  Most don’t have that much extra cash to afford these types of major expenses when selling a home.

That being said, I began to think about what types of projects could any seller do on their home that would be affordable and help to sell the home for a higher price in a quicker time period.  I came up with the following 5 things:

1.  Freshen up the landscape.  A couple bags of $3 mulch and some seasonal flowers can make a dramatic difference to the front of a home.  Adding some $3.00 seasonal flowers framing the entrance to the home can make a huge difference to curb appeal.  Also, make sure to keep the grass cut and well manicured.  First impressions matter!

Estimated cost $50-$150.  Time: A Saturday afternoon.

2.  Pressure wash the exterior.  Borrow a neighbors pressure washer or hire a professional to clean the exterior of your home.  Washing off a layer of dirt and grime from the outside can definitely help.  Here in the south with our warm humid climate, houses can get a layer of green mold in a matter of months.  If you own or can borrow a machine you can do this task in a matter of hours.  Make sure if you use chemicals that they do not contain bleach or your flowers and grass will die wherever the water touches them.  Or you can hire a professional to do it for around $100-$200.  *pro tip* If you hire a professional, see if they can also do the concrete patio & driveway.  You don’t realize how dirty the concrete is until you start cleaning them.  

Estimated cost: FREE- $200 Time: 2-3 Hours

3.  Give the front door a fresh coat of paint.  The front door is the gateway to the inside of your home.  If the first impression someone gets when reaching your front door is an impression that is dirty with peeled paint and all scratched up from a pet, it sets their mentality for the rest of the house.  You might already own the paint to do this task or can buy a small container at the local hardware store for little money.

Estimated cost: FREE- $25  Time: 30-45 minutes

4.  De-Clutter.  This might be the biggest thing you can do when selling your home. Some of the clutter you can place in the garage, but if you have too much, you might need to rent a storage unit or one of those PODS to store some of the “stuff” that is all over the house.  By removing clutter you will make the rooms feel larger and and more inviting.

Estimated cost: FREE- $100/month Time: A few hours

5.  Clean, Clean, Clean!  You would think this one is a given, but you would be shocked how many people won’t give their home a good cleaning when they place it on the market.  A few areas to pay extra close attention to:

• The Range/Oven- Do the self clean function to handle inside the oven.  Then, if your cook top is coils, go to the store and buy brand new inserts.  These shouldn’t cost more than $10-$20 but make the range look much more appealing.  If you have a smooth top range, then buy a bottle of Cerama Bryte and make the range top look like new.
• Toilets/Tubs/Shower-  Next to the kitchen, the bathrooms are the next place buyers pay close attention when purchasing a home.  If the shower glass and tub have a layer of soap scum, use a Magic Eraser to clean off the layer of soap scum quickly and easily.
• Carpets/floors-  If you have carpet in your home, you might want to use a carpet cleaner on those accidental spots.  You can either borrow one from a friend or rent one from several stores for under $100.

A clean home will keep people in the home for a longer period of time.  The longer the buyer stays, the more they will remember about your home.

Estimated cost: Free- $150  Time: 3-4 hours

So there you have it, 5 simple things you can do on your own for under $200 that can help your Myrtle Beach home be more appealing to buyers and hopefully sell in a faster time period.  If you own a property here in Myrtle Beach and are looking to sell, feel free to contact me to learn how I can help your home get sold with my online marketing plan.