Selling a home in a buyer’s market is a true competition. The winner is the seller who can set his or her home apart from all of the other Malibu homes for sale and get a buyer to make an offer. In a competitive market like Malibu, even the smallest differences between homes can mean the difference between making a sale and letting the deal slip through your fingers. There are several ways you can make your home more appealing for buyers. Fortunately, many of them are inexpensive and will not add a significant amount to your costs.

Painting the Walls

Choosing bold paint colors is one of the easiest and cheapest ways to express your personality. Unfortunately, not many buyers want to buy a home with pumpkin-colored bedroom walls or fuchsia kitchen walls. If your home features unusual paint colors, repaint the walls before you put your home on the market. Taking this small step can give you an edge when it comes to finding a buyer.

Exterior Maintenance

Any Malibu real estate agent will tell you that the outside of your home is the first thing potential buyers see, so you should pay special attention to siding, walkways, exterior lights and landscaping. Make sure all exterior lights work properly. If necessary, replace missing or burned-out bulbs. Sweep sidewalks and steps, making sure they are clear of any debris. If you have out-of-control shrubs, trim them so that they look nice and neat. Remove weeds and dead flowers from your garden. Wash the outside of the house and make sure they you also wash the outsides of all windows and doors.

Porch Repair and Maintenance

If you want to sell your Malibu real estate quickly, you need to give potential buyers a warm welcome. If people have to step over clutter just to get off the porch and into the front door, you will make a bad impression. Remove clutter from the porch, sweep away leaves and flower petals, and shake out your door mat. Make your home more inviting by adding a wreath or welcome sign to the door. These little touches can make a big difference.

Think Like a Buyer

Go outside your home and look at everything like a buyer would. Is the lawn mowed? Is the paint on the window trim peeling? Open the door to the house and look at the interior. Is it welcoming, or will it drive buyers away? Check the arrangement of the furniture and make sure that it is easy for buyers to move around. Straighten window coverings and picture frames so that they are not crooked. Look at every room and think about whether it will appeal to a buyer. If you find something amiss, keep making changes until your home is ready for a showing.

These simple steps can help you draw in potential buyers and help them imagine what it would be like living in your home. This can make the difference between receiving multiple offers and having to lower your asking price because no one has shown any interest.

Russell Grether of Compass Real Estate is a real estate agent based out of Malibu, CA. He specializes in Malibu real estate, Malibu homes for sale, Malibu properties, Malibu Land for sale, Malibu rentals and surrounding area real estate from Montecito to the Pacific Palisades.