If you’re putting your home on the market, you’ve just stepped into a place where you’re part salesman, part designer and part marketer. Of course, some of these responsibilities will be helped by your real estate agent, but in the back of your mind you will always have that nagging question: “How can I sell my home?”

Many sellers will want to sell their home quickly, and obviously make more money on it. Here is a list of five things you can do to your home to sell it for more money, and faster. For a larger version of this infographic, you can click here.

1. Lighting

Brightening your home can increase your home’s value by $1,000-$1,500. Of course, using the right type of light is important. High wattage lights can make a tight space seem bigger, softer lighting makes an empty space feel smaller, and dimmer switches allow for buyers to create their own moods in a room. Using sunlight is also a large push. Adding sun tubes or skylights allows buyers to limit their electricity usage, and create a brighter, more natural feel to a room.

2. Fresh paint

Putting a fresh coat of paint on your home can increase your home’s price between $1,500 and $2,000. As your home has gotten older, furniture, kids, pets, and normal wear and tear may have damaged the paint. Repainting a room can make it look years younger, not to mention choosing different color pallets can change the mood, space and feel of a room. The best way to go about painting is to patch up the nicks, cracks, and scratches in the drywall first. When in doubt, go for a clean white in rooms. This will let the buyer create their own space in their minds-eye as they look at the home.

3. Get a home warranty

According to a study by the Service Contract Industry Council, homes with a home warranty sell faster and for more money than homes without a home warranty.  In a press release, SCIC executive director Tim Meenan said, “Fortunately, because home warranties can be transferred to the new owner, buyers are finding that the extra protection of a service contract can ease this apprehension.”

The study found that homes with a home warranty stay 11 fewer days on the market, and sell for $2,300 more than homes without a home warranty. Purchasing a home warranty means extra protection for home buyers from breakdowns from normal wear and tear on home systems and appliances.  By offering a home warranty to a homebuyer, a seller gives them peace of mind. Most home warranty companies are open at all hours, so home buyers can call them for service whenever. The best home warranty company will have trusted contractors that they will send out to the home, who will repair or replace a broken home appliance or system for an extremely small fee.

4. De-clutter the inside

De-cluttering can increase your home’s value by $1,500 to $2,000. De-cluttering and cleaning your home seems like a no-brainer tip, but many times your version of a de-cluttered home is very different from what a buyer sees. Yes, everything might be put back into its place, but to a buyer, all of those things just might be too much. As a seller, you want to create a home-like atmosphere that also lets a buyer feel like they can make the space his or her own. That means taking out personal mementos, pictures, and appliances. Put odds and ends in small groups of three, and put away extra decorations to add space to your home.

5. Increase your curb appeal.

Have you ever heard the saying “first impressions matter”?  In home buying, it’s absolutely 100% true. This first impression is also known as curb appeal. When a buyer first pulls up to a home that might be in their price range, they want to get out of their car and see something that looks new, even though it might be an older home. Increasing your curb appeal can increase the price for your home. According to the Home Sale Maximizer Guide for 2013, painting the outside of your home, or landscaping your front yard can each increase your home’s price by $1,500 to $2,000. In Remodeling.net’s Cost Vs. Value Report for 2014, a garage door replacement can increase your home’s value by $1,283, and replacing the entry door with a new steel door can increase your home’s value by $1,122.

From these five things, the most lucrative thing a homeowner can do to increase their home’s value is purchase a home warranty.  A home warranty can increase a home’s sale up to $2,500! So as you begin to sell your home, remember to provide peace of mind for your potential buyers, and purchase a home warranty. To find out more about home warranties, or to see Landmark Home Warranty’s plans, go to www.LandmarkHW.com. ­­

CITATIONS:

http://www.homegain.com/download/max_guide.pdf

http://www.thisoldhouse.com/toh/photos/0,,20247552_20558015,00.html

http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/new-study-home-warranties-increase-home-sale-prices-reduce-length-on-the-market-for-owners-262377981.html

http://dsnews.com/news/06-10-2014/home-warranties-help-homes-sell-faster-higher-prices