
Sara Gore certainly knows how to sell a luxury home. Not only is she a real estate agent for luxury properties around New York City and its suburbs, but she also has hosted NBC’s show Open House for the past 14 years, where she showcases high-end homes to audiences around the world. We tapped her expertise to find out the tips and tricks that can make your home sell for more.
Before getting into her list, it’s important to emphasize that real estate outcomes depend on the home itself, the market, the home’s location, and the timing when you list. “The value of your home will be different now than a year from now even if you don’t do anything,” Gore says.
Gore also notes that often buyers will change a home after the purchase, so while she recommends sellers make some improvements, she says to generally steer clear of spending too much. Now for Gore’s tips on how to sell your home for more money.
Do your research.
Look into recent listing and sales in your neighborhood to get an idea for what properties are selling for and the state they are in. “If you are going to put money into a house but you’re never going to get it out because nothing in your neighborhood has ever sold for that much money, you’re wasting your money,” Gore says.
Make sure any improvements are done well.
While most of the tips to come on this list relate to home improvements, make sure any renovations are thoughtful and create a home that seamlessly flows from one room to the next. For example: If you’re replacing hardwood floors, try to do them all at the same time so the colors match.
“You don’t’ want a hodgepodge situation where a homeowner did one project at a time and used different people to do it so it doesn’t line up,” Gore says.
Paint the interior.
Always paint a new coat of light, bright paint throughout the home before listing. “Fresh paint makes it feel cleaner and like the owner took really good care of it,” Gore says.
While we’re all about expressing yourself through design, now’s not the time for lime green lacquer. When your goal is to max out your resale value, opt for a crowd-pleasing and expensive-looking paint color.
Clean and declutter.
Make sure your home is deep cleaned before you list, baseboards and all, and then take out any clutter and personal effects like photos so buyers can better envision themselves living there. “When there is less stuff in a home, it feels bigger,” Gore says.
Don’t overlook cleaning the basement, either. “It doesn’t have to be perfectly cleared out, but if the basement feels clean, people will feel better about the house,” Gore says.
Use a home stager if you can.
“Staging will always sell your home faster, but they can be pricy,” Gore notes. “A lot of buyers don’t have vision, so you want to show them how spaces can be used.” If you can afford one, Gore recommends getting three quotes and generally going with the middle quote.
If you can’t afford a stager, Gore suggests enlisting the help of a friend with a good eye. “Make them lunch that day and have them give you an objective perspective,” she says. “It can be hard to take out some of your personal things since you can think everyone will love them if you love them, but it’s a lot easier for someone else to say what to take out.”
Spruce up the landscaping.
Curb appeal to a home is key, so Gore recommends putting money into freshening up your landscaping. Certain landscaping details—like manicured beds, mature trees, and a maintained lawn—can actually help your home look more expensive.
Gore adds, “You don’t have to spend a fortune redoing the whole thing, but make sure it’s clean and fresh and you put down some new mulch.”
Let light shine through the windows.
Be sure to let as much light in your home is possible, starting with cleaning windows inside and out. “That is a huge thing that gets overlooked all the time, but windows get really dirty,” Gore notes. Then be sure shades and draperies are open so natural light can show off the interiors.
Update the kitchen.
“A kitchen is always worth extra time or money,” Gore says, but you don’t have to undertake a complete renovation before listing. If you have dark cabinets, consider painting them white or light gray, but not a color that is too trendy because that can rule out some buyers because it’s too specific. Another easy update is replacing the knobs for a fresher look.
Update the bathrooms.
Speaking of updates, bathrooms can always use a luxury upgrade too. Consider upgrading yours with new shower heads, toilets with heated seats or bidet toilets, and fixtures that look clean and fresh.
Make sure you have good lighting.
In addition to natural light, you want to make sure you have layered lighting in each room of the home and preferably have smart lights you can turn on and off from your home, particularly if you are out of town to decrease the chance of theft. That said, change any dead lightbulbs throughout the home too.
“Make sure everything has the right light,” Gore notes. “It shows you have an attention to detail and cared about your home.” One easy improvement to make before listing is to add dimmers to lights, too, so their mood can be easily adjusted.
Act like an inspector
Gore recommends buyers Google a home buying inspection list and go though the list themselves to see if there’s anything you should fix or update before an inspector comes out for a potential buyer.
She adds, “You don’t want any surprises when you are showing your house.”
Madoline Markham Koonce is the assistant managing editor at VERANDA, where she covers décor, shopping, travel, and culture. She began her career at Southern Living and then worked in community journalism—including serving as editor of three community magazines she helped launch—before joining the team of both VERANDA and Country Living magazines. She has an undergraduate degree in history from Rhodes College (and loves to tap her love of history in her writing) as well as a master’s degree in magazine journalism from the University of Missouri. When she’s not on deadline, you can find her baking or lost in a good book.