8 Secrets to Selling Your Yarmouth, Maine, Home That People Often Forget

Few places match the tranquility of Yarmouth, Maine. Situated on the coast of Casco Bay, this idyllic New England town is a welcome escape from nearby city neighbor, Portland. This quaint town holds on to its centuries-old charm by sticking to its roots and preserving its picturesque appeal. This is most apparent when taking a leisurely stroll down Main Street. Lined with welcoming storefronts, charming cafes, and historic homes, this stretch of road provides residents with nearly every amenity they desire.

Yarmouth’s laid-back, coastal vibe is a year-round feature of the community, save for big events like the Yarmouth Clam Festival. It’s one of the many reasons that potential residents find the area so appealing. However, that ambiance alone won’t usually guarantee a house sale. If you’re hoping to achieve a streamlined, simplified sale, read on for some top home-selling tips that get results.

Most of us are guilty of quickly trying to clean up a room by simply tossing everything in a closet and leaving it for later. While that may work when company comes over for dinner, potential home buyers won’t be as easily fooled. They are, after all, looking to buy every square foot of a home, including closets, pantries, and other storage areas. Be prepared for buyers to open every door and see what kind of square footage a walk-in closet has. They’ll have their own belongings to store when they move in, and a clean storage area will appear more spacious and ready to handle whatever they have. Home stager Michelle Whitney of Whitney & Co. advises sellers to show closets at no more than 70% full.

This home-selling tip is often overlooked. Lighting is not a feature that most buyers will notice right away, but light bulbs tend to dim over time. This is especially true of traditional filament bulbs. What started off as a bright 60-watt bulb may be no more than a night light towards the end of its life. Investing in some new bulbs or upgrading to LEDs is a great way to brighten up a space and bring a sense of new life. This extra light will make areas seem more extensive and remove any gloomy feelings a room may evoke. Upgrading to more modern fixtures is also an easy way to refresh a space.

This one seems pretty self-explanatory, but there’s more to it than at first glance. Much like the other senses, our sense of smell will get used to certain odors after a while. This “nose blindness” will make even the most intense odors almost nonexistent if you stay around them long enough. A great way to combat this is to have a friend or family member come over to visit and have them sniff around. Any overbearing odors should be apparent to their outside sense of smell and point you in the direction of any stench that needs to be dealt with. Clean all carpets and furniture thoroughly to remove any pet odors. Lightly scented candles or pleasant air fresheners can also help.

While making rooms physically bigger is impossible without some major renovation work, making them feel bigger is a lot easier. The obvious way to create some space in a room is by taking stuff out. Remove any unnecessary, bulky furniture and either relocate it somewhere else in the home or put it into storage offsite, if possible. Another way to give a room a more expansive appearance is the use of mirrors. Our minds see mirrors almost like windows, which tricks us into thinking an area is more spacious than it truly is.

Unless your home is ultra-portable, potential buyers are buying the land that comes with the lot. Thus, this ultra-important home-selling tip involves landscaping and the exterior of the house. It’s easy to get hyper-focused on making sure the inside of a home looks great and skip out on things like the exterior paint and lawn care. By focusing on the outdoor areas of the home, you’ll make it look well-maintained and increase the curb appeal, which is extremely important in setting a tone of luxury right from the get-go.

Yes, it says borders, not corners. While clearing out the cobwebs and dust bunnies hiding in the corners of a room is a great idea, home sellers often forget about the borders: the crown molding and baseboards. While you may not put much thought into these trim pieces, homebuyers just might — especially if there is a significant amount of wear and tear on them. Baseboards get bashed, scuffed, and all other sorts of abuse nearly every day. Crown molding won’t physically get worn down as much, but the paint will fade or turn yellow from sunlight exposure. A quick coat of paint on more damaged areas can go a long way in sprucing up the appearance of a room.

When selling a home, it can be easy to pay attention to the walls and ceiling and forget about the floor underneath you. With furniture, rugs, and random shoes covering much of the floor in many homes, it might be hard to notice that things have gone awry. That’s why it’s a good idea to move furniture and any floor coverings to ensure the condition of the floors underneath them is up to snuff. Fading, cracking, water damage, or any other variety of ailments could be lurking, ready to be discovered by eagle-eyed buyers. Be sure to check the flooring in closets and beneath appliances as well.

This may very well be the most critical home-selling tip on this list. While most home sellers work with an agent — 86% to be exact — not all agents provide the same level of expertise. Agents will specialize in different types of real estate, different areas of the market, different price ranges, and more. It’s vitally important to work with an expert who’s highly experienced in your area who can give you the best level of help.

That’s why sellers in Yarmouth turn to Realtor Emilie Cole when putting up their homes for sale in Yarmouth, Maine. Emilie has a proven track record as an adept professional, ranking in the top 1.5% of agents nationwide. Contact Emilie today to work with a detail-oriented Realtor who will help you prepare your home for a quick sale at the best value.


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