Are you worried about getting your home ready to sell?

You’re not alone. Most sellers are.

But with the right tips, you can be on the right track toward successful showings with a home that shines for potential buyers.

Assess your property’s condition.

Understanding the condition of your home will help you match it to comparable properties in your area. Plus, it gives you the opportunity to fix known issues before listing. If you would like, I can make an appointment for a convenient time, to come to look at your property and give you some pointers on how to get your property ready for the market.

It’s 60 days before your home hits the market, so it’s time to start working on your plans…

Do you have any small repairs around the house? Now’s the time to take a weekend to finish them, such as unfinished home renos, repair paint dings, and nicks, leaking faucets? If nothing else your water bill will thank you!!  Have your fences seen better days?

Declutter and donate

Starting the de-cluttering process now, will save you from the last-minute stress of getting rid of stuff just before listing. Simply donate or purge anything you no longer use, but if they are items that you’re wishing to keep, renting some temporary storage is an excellent way to make your home feel more spacious.

Since it’s early on, you don’t have to get rid of everything just yet. You need to simply prioritize and sort what you would like to keep, to store, to toss or donate. Some people find it advantageous to get some boxes and packing materials to start the packing process for things that you won’t need before you move, e.g. seasonal items.

The more personal your space, the less potential buyers can imagine themselves living there. Getting rid of a third of your stuff will make the home feel more spacious.

Clutter includes family photos, collections, travel items, and keepsakes. It’s hard for a buyer to imagine their things in the space with yours cluttering every room.

Create a marketing plan

If you plan to list your home on the open market, it’s time to get a marketing plan in place. If you’re selling with an agent, you can help them by spreading the word on social networks, at work, and with family and friends.

When it comes time to sell, you’ll need copies of permits for past reno work, land surveys, tax bills, and utility bills. Get these items together in advance so you don’t have to go digging around right as you’re preparing to list.

One of the most important pieces of information you’ll need is your mortgage payoff amount, any fees, and charges that may be due. While the final amount will change a bit by the time, you’re ready to close, getting an estimated payoff amount is important.

Working with the wrong realtor can ruin your sale. Work with a realtor who is informed and can provide helpful services through the entire selling process.

They should regularly monitor the market, know what properties are going on the market, and know the comps for your neighborhood. Good realtors have local expertise that will give you an advantage when you’re ready to list your house.

Cleanup for walk-throughs

Clean like you’ve never cleaned before, and then keep it that way. Keep your bathrooms and kitchen impeccable, dust, mop, and wash the walls, windows until the day your house sells.

A spotless, clean home will make for a better first impression when potential buyers walk through the door.

Remove polarizing items

Polarizing items include political and religious memorabilia. Many people have strong feelings about these types of things, and you don’t want a buyer to pre-judge your home based on your political or religious beliefs. The best solution is to pack these items in storage.

Organize closet space

Every buyer is looking for a place to store all their things. Take half of everything you have in the closets and put it in a storage unit. Then, neatly organize what’s left in the closets to highlight the home’s storage space.

Turn all of the lights on

A dark house is just sad. Maximize the light in your home. Take down the drapes, clean the windows, and swap the lampshades and up the wattage in the bulbs. Do whatever it takes to let the light shine down on potential buyers!

Keep on top of those minor repairs

Change the burnt-out light bulb, as they go as no problem is too small in the eyes of a potential buyer! Small issues send the message the home has not been well taken care of. They could also indicate to a potential buyer that there is other more costly neglect taking place — like water or mold damage.

Move your pets out

Not everyone is an animal lover. If a potential buyer walks in and sees a dog bowl, smells a litter box, or is picking hair off their pants hours after the Open House, they will think the house is not clean.

A potential buyer shouldn’t even be able to tell if a four-legged friend lives there or not. Plan and get your furry friend to a pet hotel the day you plan to show the home.

Eliminate bad smells

You should be able to eliminate any unpleasant odors after a good clean. Even if it’s winter, open the windows and give the home time to air out.

To add a pleasing smell, bake before an open house, or light a fresh-smelling candle. Keep it subtle because anything too overpowering will smell suspicious like you’re trying to hide something.

Update the kitchen

Kitchens are probably the most important room in the house. They are also the most expensive to renovate, investing a few thousand dollars might get you an eighty-five percent return, while a dated kitchen could knock a huge chunk off of the asking price.

Add a fresh coat of paint

Neutral paint tones appeal to a wide range of tastes and look fresh. Paint also has the power to add light to a dark room. Just resist the urge to be bold (save it for your next home). Inserting too much of your own personality into the space is a bad thing. Wondering which colors are the best to sell a home?

If you must add a pop of color, do so with a blanket or flower vase, not the ceiling.

Add special touches

Fresh flowers, accent pillows, a new welcome mat — these little touches can amp up the welcome factor of any home and go a long way with buyers. You don’t have to go out of your way, either. Just a few here and there to make it feel more like home.

Always be ready to show

Your house needs to be “show ready” at all times because you never know when a buyer will walk through that front door. You want your home to be available whenever they want to come and see it. Have the washing up done, the beds made, and immediately clear clutter. It may seem annoying, but it’s one of the little things that will get your house sold!

Leave your house

Removing yourself is the ultimate depersonalization. You want to give buyers the freedom to open closets, inspect the rooms, and ask questions without feeling like they are snooping around. Before someone comes for a showing, open the windows, turn on all the lights, light a candle, and get yourself out!

Improve curb appeal!

Before they even walk through the door, buyers are judging your house. They should feel warm, welcome, and safe as they approach the house. Do some inexpensive upgrades, such as adding light fixtures, replacing the mailbox, or sprucing up the landscaping with some colorful flowers.

Clean The Carpets

If you have carpets in your home, they need to be cleaned before you show your home. This will improve the appearance of your floors and eliminate any nasty odors that are locked in the carpet.

You can save money and rent a carpet cleaning machine or hire professionals — either way, the results will speak for themselves.

Putting your home on the market is a big job– one that you don’t have to do alone!


To be continued….

Categorised in: For Sellers

This post was written by teamcore