You caught us! We’re talking about the inside of a condo unit even though that’s not somewhere we normally venture.
At GoJaxon, we help condo managers and boards maintain the building, keep common areas clean, and ensure that owners are greeted and informed.
BUT
When we talk to condo managers and board members there are always a lot of questions about resale value. We touched on the building as a whole in this previous article—Answer These 4 Questions To Increase Your Condo Building’s Resale Value—and now we’re continuing the theme inside the individual units.
So whether you’re a condo manager helping residents or you’re an owner yourself, follow these 5 tips for sprucing up the digs to sell.
1. Pay Attention to Curb Appeal
You might be asking yourself, “What curb appeal?” It’s easy to overlook the important features a prospective buyer considers before entering your unit door, but first impressions matter!
As a manager, you can create an inviting atmosphere in the shared areas of the building and, as an owner, you can work with your board and manager to consider curb appeal more holistically. This conversation could include the foyer, hallways, elevators and other common spaces such as the gym.
Homeowners can usually paint the unit’s front door unless the bylaws require approval from the building’s maintenance team. Either way, say goodbye to all of the shoe scuff marks as the door is kicked open, groceries in-hand—it’s time for them to go.
To dress up the door even more, consider adding a new doormat or a decorative wreath.
Need help with the building’s overall curb appeal?
2. Show Care for the Home
Unless the condo is brand new, chances are it could use a little TLC. This might include inexpensive fixes such as filling nail holes, applying a new coat of paint on the walls or replacing kitchen cabinetry hardware. We recommend choosing neutral paint colours and hardware as this will allow buyers to envision their own taste in the space.
If anything is broken, such as a leaky faucet, chipped flooring tile or even burned-out light bulbs, have them repaired or replaced before the realtor comes to take staging photographs.
These small details can make a big difference when potential buyers are comparing similar condos—especially if they are within the same building.
3. Upkeep the Yard (AKA the Balcony)
Depending on the time of year “yard care” can mean different things. In the winter or shoulder seasons, remove any dead or dying plants from the balcony and put the furniture away in storage.
In the summer, keep the area free of excess furniture and lifeless plants and add a little fresh greenery to make the space feel vibrant and lively. Just make sure anything added or taken away makes the balcony seem larger and well-cared for as a chipped and rotting patio set can quickly undo all of the hard work.
Additionally, keep the balcony free of debris and snow and wash the windows for an extra sparkling finish.
4. Declutter & Pack Away Personal Items
Decluttering is often the hardest task for homeowners because it involves packing up treasured items and family memorabilia. But to be blunt, potential buyers need to see themselves in the space and photos from last year’s March Break are getting in their way of doing so.
Go through the condo room by room and remove family photos, souvenirs, décor and other items that make the space feel personalized. Anything that makes it feel smaller, like oversized furniture, should also be put in storage.
To do this on a budget, pack up items and place them in a storage space so they’re ready to move when the unit sells. If you are motivated to sell faster, hire a home staging company to help curate the space with a combination of existing and loaned pieces that make it easier for a buyer to visualize themselves living there.
5. Perform a Deep, Deep Clean
Once the home is decluttered and partially packed, it’s an opportune time to perform a deep clean. This can be done by the homeowner or by professional condo cleaners. (GoJaxon doesn’t clean inside individual units but we can suggest some companies with great reputations.)
Before getting started, take a step back and look at all of the places that rarely get touched. This includes behind the stove, the bathroom grout, on top of kitchen cabinets, behind the laundry machines, along the baseboards, the vent coverings, etc.
There are likely quite a few places that are missed on a regular cleaning schedule and now is the time to leave no stone unturned—work room by room until the entire unit is spotless.
Sell the Condo Unit
The hard part is done—now it’s time to hand over the keys to a realtor and have them work their magic. If there is ever any doubt, take a look at the unit and the property as a whole from the point of view of a buyer—would you buy this unit again?