Granby, CO, is known for its small-town charm, sweeping views of the Continental Divide, and convenient access to Rocky Mountain National Park. The town remains a hidden gem in the Rockies, and unlike many other residential real estate markets in the US, Granby remains an affordable and ecologically desirable place to buy a home. Though the Granby CO real estate market is currently competitive, you still need to put your best foot forward when it comes to preparing your home for listing.
One of the best ways to ensure your home sells at or above the asking price is to have your home professionally staged. Nationwide, homes that are staged sell for an average of 17% more than those that aren’t and sell 87% faster. Whether you hire a professional or take on the task yourself, the tips below will help you feel more knowledgeable and prepared for your first open house.
1. Schedule a Deep Cleaning
Before staging or listing Granby CO homes for sale, ensure that it’s deep cleaned from top to bottom. You may think you’ve done a good job of housekeeping over the years, but you need to take the cleanliness of your home to the next level before you list it. If you know you’re going to be short on time or unable to dedicate yourself to the task, hire a professional cleaning company specializing in preparing homes for the market. An experienced cleaning company will have a thorough checklist for its employees to follow. This checklist can include removing all signs of pets, wiping down baseboards and trim work, and removing stains from the shower. A spotless home will ensure a great first impression for prospective buyers and give stagers a sparkling canvas to work with.
2. Remove All Clutter
As any Granby CO real estate agent will tell you, homes that are packed with decorations, personal belongings, or unnecessary furnishings will be far less appealing to prospective buyers than those that are free of clutter.
To facilitate your decluttering process, consider renting a storage unit, so you don’t end up moving all your clutter to closets, attics, or basements — all of which should be shown off to potential buyers. Once you’ve secured a safe place to store your belongings, remove anything you won’t need access to during the selling process, including off-season clothing and gear, extra kitchen utensils, dishes, appliances, family photos, books, and personal care items. Removing clutter in your home will allow potential buyers to more easily envision themselves living out their Rocky Mountain dreams in Granby.
3. Neutralize Your Space
While bold accent walls and colorful patterns can be a fun personal addition to your home, it’s important for buyers to experience your home in its purest, most neutral state. You want to make sure your home is appealing to a wide variety of buyers and that you allow the architecture of your space to speak for itself. To increase the likelihood of quick, high offers on Granby CO homes for sale, minimize decor as much as possible. Paint your walls in earth tones (white, light grey, or beige), decorate with basic patterns and colors, and avoid anything that is boldly personalized, printed, or colored.
4. Add the Finishing Touch-ups
Before listing Granby CO homes for sale, owners should take care of all repairs and inspections. Major fixes include replacing a leaky roof or faulty water heater and ensuring your HVAC unit is in good shape. Once big repairs are out of the way, it’s important to focus on the little things that could disturb potential buyers or make them more difficult to work with during negotiation. This includes replacing loose cabinet handles, addressing scuffs on the walls, and caulking or spackling cracks and holes. Do a little painting if there are chips or discolorations, as a fresh coat of paint is never a bad idea when listing a home for sale. Most potential buyers in Granby are not looking for a fixer-upper, so you need to ensure your space is move-in ready prior to listing.
5. Create a Great First Impression
Given its beautiful Rocky Mountain setting, the first thing potential buyers will notice about Granby CO homes for sale is the landscaping and exterior design. Invest time into making the best first impression possible by amping up your curb appeal. Mow your lawn and make sure bushes and trees are trimmed. You may also want to repaint or replace your mailbox or garage door, as both of these changes are affordable and great at boosting curb appeal. Other important issues to address are cracks in the sidewalk, loose boards on the porch, or peeling paint on the exterior of your home. Finally, add some extra touches like colorful potted plants or flowers, high-quality outdoor furniture, and a colorful welcome mat. Time spent crafting a picture-perfect exterior will be rewarded with high asking prices and successful home viewings.
6. Don’t Forget the Details
After you’ve completed the big tasks of staging your Granby home, you should add some small finishing touches. Create the ideal mood for buyers by lighting a few scented candles or placing wax melts throughout your home. Set the dining room table with matching dishes (the set not in storage), wine glasses, and a fresh floral centerpiece. You may also want to talk with your Granby CO real estate agent about playing some ambient music in the background during showings to make sure your prospective buyers feel as relaxed and at home as possible.
Regardless of market trends, the right real estate agent can help get you the price you deserve for your Granby home for sale. Contact Brenda Freeman for experienced, trustworthy connections when staging, listing, and selling Colorado real estate.
