Your Guide to Getting a House Ready to Sell From Start to Closing
You've probably heard that it's a seller's market. It's true - there's never been a better time to sell your house.
It's normal to feel overwhelmed by the process of getting a house ready to sell, especially if you've lived there for a long time. But selling your house doesn't have to be a nightmare.
With just a few easy steps, you can make your house look sparkly and new for prospective buyers. Keep reading for our top tips for getting your house ready to sell - from before you even list it to the final walkthrough.
Make a Great First Impression
The first thing you should do when getting a house ready to sell is to make sure your home makes a great first impression on potential buyers.
What buyers see when they drive up to your house for the first time can make or break the deal for them. A little curb appeal goes a long way.
Your front lawn should be mowed and appear clean and presentable. That means pruning your hedges and planting or potting flowers that will grab buyers' eyes from the street.
If the first thing buyers see is defects, they are going to have a negative impression for the rest of their showing. Fix any defects, no matter how small.
Check for broken screens, shingles, roof tiles, and outdoor lights. Make sure there is no debris or clutter blocking access to the walkways and the yard.
Consider putting a fresh coat of paint on your door. Try to create the picture-perfect setup to give buyers a positive impression about the rest of your home before they even walk in the door.
Clean...Everywhere
To get your home ready for showings, you need to deep clean it.
Buyers will make a conclusion about how well you have maintained your home based on what they can easily see. If they see evidence that you haven't kept up with basic cleaning, they aren't going to have much faith in the conditions they can't so easily see.
Remember that buyers are there to judge your home. While it may seem obvious that you need to clean your bathrooms and kitchen, you might not realize how far you need to go.
Kitchens and bathrooms are prone to grime, stains, and odors. Repainting and recaulking these areas can make a room appear clean and fresh.
Carpet and rug stains can leave a bad impression and cause odors.
Don't forget about less traveled areas like the garage, closets, and even cabinets. If you don't want to do this work yourself, that's okay! Consider hiring a professional cleaning company.
Get Rid of Clutter
When you're getting ready to sell a house, it's a good idea to start packing right away.
There are plenty of things that can be packed easily that will help your house sell. When the rooms in your house are filled with clutter, buyers will get a negative impression of the property.
Clutter makes spaces feel more cramped and makes rooms seem smaller.
When buyers take a tour of your home, they want to be able to envision themselves living there. They might not want to use the space the same way you have, and that's okay.
By packing up excess items, especially personal ones like family photos, you can make your home more presentable to prospective buyers.
Make Necessary Repairs
Before listing your house, you should go through your home room by room and look for any small repairs that need to be made.
When buyers see that you haven't made repairs, no matter how small, they are going to assume that you've failed to make major ones as well.
It's relatively inexpensive to replace hardware and fixtures that have become outdated or broken and buyers will appreciate the shiny and new features. Purchasing new fixtures can also increase safety and functionality.
Making the Home Presentable
There are many things you can do without breaking the bank that will make your home more aesthetically pleasing to buyers.
Styles change over time and chances are your home isn't as up to date with current trends as it could be. When it comes to design, it's usually better to opt for neutral options that are likely to please anyone. This allows buyers to picture their own personal decorating style in the space.
One of the best things you can do is put a fresh coat of neutral-colored paint on your walls and cabinetry, especially if any walls are painted an eccentric color.
Consider updating lighting fixtures so that rooms are adequately lit. You can also use accent lighting to highlight and draw attention to selling points.
Make sure you have proper window treatments that really enhance each room.
Before a showing, put aware any unsightly personal items like litterboxes and children's toys.
Finally, don't neglect the backyard. The goal is to present the backyard as spacious but also somewhere buyers will want to spend time.
Your realtor will advise you on how to make your home look perfect before showings.
Are You Getting a House Ready to Sell?
If you are considering selling your home, you need to know all the tips for getting a house ready to sell.
It's a great time to sell a home, but you don't want to sabotage yourself by failing to properly prepare.
Moving can be stressful, but you don't have to do it alone. We are a team of real estate experts that can help you put your current home on the market and help you find a new home.
Contact us today to learn more about how we can work for you.