If you're putting your condo on the market soon, one of the most ignored but most important areas to clean is the balcony. This is especially true if your condo has a great view of the surrounding city, ocean, or park nearby. A dirty, unkempt balcony may even look unsafe to potential buyers, which can destroy your chances of a quick sale.
On the other hand, a clean and staged condo will invite potential buyers outside and think about how they can use the space themselves. It becomes a benefit instead of a detraction.
With this in mind, read on to learn all the benefits of condo balcony cleaning so that selling a condo is easier!
(If you live in a house, read this great article on easy ways to add curb appeal to your home and front yard instead.)
A clean condo balcony can help the view standout because a dirty balcony may be a distraction to buyers. Instead of focusing on the beautiful sunrise, sunset, or ocean view, they instead see the dirt on the floor, cobwebs in the ceiling, and a rusting banister. People often purchase condos because they're an affordable way to own a property close to desirable locations. However, a dirty balcony will instantly make the view less appealing.
Staging is an important aspect of any home sale. This is because instead of a blank slate, it allows buyers to see how to utilize the space. It can also give buyers a more accurate sense of how large a space is. Unless you work in the construction or real estate industry, sometimes it's hard to translate the square footage of a property into real life.
Large square footage without furniture or any kind of staging may seem empty and hard to work with. Conversely, it might also look too small–an issue that condo balconies often have.
When you clean and stage a condo balcony, you'll be able to show interested buyers how the space can be utilized the best. For instance, you can set out two chairs, a coffee table, and coffee cups with a rolled-up newspaper to create the image that they can use the balcony to have a relaxing breakfast or brunch.
If the balcony is big enough, you can set up a checkerboard or chessboard to show that it can be used for entertaining as well as dining. This will raise the condo's appeal to people who have never owned a property with a balcony.
Of course, if the balcony is dirty and not staged, these possibilities will be hard to come to mind for buyers.
Condo balconies are often divided from the rest of the space by sliding glass doors. Although this is the most economical way to access the balcony while also providing the occupants with a beautiful view, sliding glass doors also need to be cleaned frequently so that the view isn't marred by a layer of dirt.
If the sliding glass doors of your balcony are dirty enough, these layers of accumulated grime can ruin the view of the outside. Even worse, buyers may think that the dirt is a permanent fixture of the doors. They may be wondering if purchasing the condo is worth it if they need to replace the doors.
Help them set those fears aside by cleaning the sliding glass doors so that they look brand new!
It's absolutely important that you make sure your balcony is safe before you, contractors, buyers, or anyone else walks on it. This includes:
Checking for cracks
Checking for discoloration that could be water damage
Checking for loose or rotting rails
However, once you have your balcony inspected for safety, if your balcony is still dirty and unkempt afterwards, buyers might not believe it's safe. For instance, stains on the floor and a railing covered in grime might give the balcony an appearance of neglect. Even though it's perfectly safe, buyers may still feel reluctant to check it out.
Do your buyers and yourself a favor and opt for a balcony cleaning service after it's inspected.
If you're planning on selling your condo months or years in the future, keeping it regularly clean can actually save you money in the longterm. Neglected balconies that aren't cleaned after years of use and weather damage will take longer to clean. This means that no matter what cleaner you go with, you'll need to pay large amounts because they'll need to take a longer time cleaning your balcony.
You'll also need to remember that water stains and layers of grime can leave permanent remnants no matter how hard you scrub or what chemicals are used. Balcony flooring, railing, or even the windows or doors may need to be replaced because of the years of damage and neglect.
Condo balcony cleaning is imperative even if you don't go out on your balcony often. This is because the balcony of a condo is typically the only access people have to a private space outside. Condos that feature beautiful views and vistas may even go down in value if people are unable to enjoy the view on a balcony that's dirty and appears unsafe.
Lastly, the longer the wait, the more you'll have to pay. You'll usually have to pay more for an initial deep clean of the condo and balcony because it takes longer. However, you'll have to pay even more if you haven't cleaned your balcony in months or even years.
