10 Ways to Prepare Your Home for Sale
Before you put your house on the market, peruse this preparation checklist. Some of these tips are surprisingly easy, while others might require an investment or a bit of elbow grease. But they're bound to pay off once buyers start ooh-ing and ahh-ing over your place and submitting a great offer!
1. Consider Curb Apeal
"Curb Appeal" is how your home looks from the street. You want the first thing prospective buyers see entices them to see more. Buyers tend to judge a book by its cover. Investing effort in relatively easy fixes like planting colorful flowers and repainting your front door will attract buyers attention.
2. DeClutter
Less is definitely more when it comes to getting your house ready to show, A clean sweep of counters, windowsills, tables, and all other visible areas, then tackle closets, drawers, and cupboards. If the house is overflowing with stuff, a buyer tends to worry that the house won’t have ample space for their own belongings. Take the excess and donate it or pack it up and store it.
3. Depersonalize
You want to remove distractions so the buyers can visualize themselves and their family living in the home, that includes personal items and family photos, as well as bold artwork and furniture. The goal is to create a visually lovely, clean space that is updated and welcoming.
4. Neutral Colors
Repaint walls to neutral tones. You might love that orange accent wall, but if it’s your potential buyer’s least favorite color, that could be a turnoff. You are safe with a neutral color, white is always a good choice.
5. Repairs
Fix any loose handles, touch up scuff marks. Small things, sure, but you’d be surprised by the negative effect a loose handle or missing light bulb can have on a buyer. Even if you’re not doing a full-on repainting project, pay special attention to scrubbing and then touching up baseboards.
6. WINDOWS
Clean windows, or have them professionally cleaned inside and out for optimum visual appeal. It is important to do this before the photos are taken.
7. Deodorize
Conduct a smell test and clean, clean, clean. Foul odors, can be a deal breaker, and the problem is that you might not even notice them. As your realtor, I can be an unbiased third party that will inform you of smells or lingering odors. You want your property to look and feel spotless. Take special care with the bathroom, making sure the tile, counters, shower, and floors shine.
8. Flora
Add some plants. Green is good. Plants create a more welcoming environment. You might also want to consider a bouquet of flowers and bowl of fruit on the kitchen counter or adding charm by setting the dining table
9. Hide Valuables
Hide valuables. From art to jewelry, medications, or money, make sure that your treasures are out of sight, either locked up or stored offsite. Installing a deadbolt on a closet door into which you can place valuables is a simple solution.
10. Staging
Consider staging. Does your house scream 1985? Nothing invigorates a house like new furnishings or even just a perfectly chosen mirror. The key is getting your home staged by a professional. Home stagers evaluate the current furnishings and decor determining what should remain and adding suggestions for what to incorporate to tie your look together. They might recommend you purchase or rent items. Finding a great real estate agent like Amanda or me to market your home will put cash in your pocket. Call us today.
Teresa Rooney and Amanda Stanworth at TheOjaiWay.com
