Steps To Take Before Listing
Selling a house requires some preparation! We will help you focus on the things that will help you sell your home fast and for top dollar. Below is a list of items to work on before listing your home for sale.
1. Declutter
Remove knickknacks, toys and other belongings that clutter the rooms in your house to make the spaces seem larger and more open. Your kitchen counters and bathroom counters need to be organized with minimal personal items. Buyers will also have fewer distractions as they walk through the home.
Use this time to prepare for your move. Clean out closets, attics, sheds, garages and get rid of everything you do not want to move. If you have a lot of clutter and find it hard to get organized, consider temporarily renting storage space for some of your belongings. Remember that potential buyers will open closet doors & cabinets as they tour your house.
2. Repair damaged items
If you have small issues, such as holes in walls, lights that don’t work, stains in carpet, now’s the time to fix them. To get an idea of what you need to repair, walk through your home and imagine yourself as a buyer, or walk through with a friend you can trust. Are there defects that you’ve learned to overlook but that would catch your attention when seeing them for the first time?
Consider correcting major issues such as problems with the heating and cooling system, the foundation, dampness in the basement, or the roof. You can hire a home inspector before your buyer does, make some repairs and even provide the inspection to potential buyers.
3. Deep clean
Go beyond your weekly cleaning routine. A deep cleaning means shampooing carpets, washing windows and cleaning all surface areas. Pay special attention to kitchens, refrigerators, and bathrooms and basements. Keep up the cleaning routine while your home is on the market. If you’re pressed for time and can afford it, consider hiring a professional cleaning crew for a day or a weekly cleaning service. It is an interesting irony that many home buyers expect the house they buy to be cleaner than the one in which they currently live.
4. Eliminate odors
You probably don’t want buyers who enter your home to catch lingering odors from your animals. For a nicer aroma, add subtle fragrances a few well-placed sticks of cinnamon or citrus fruit, such as oranges. This can also produce a refreshing scent throughout your home.
5. Stage your home
Your decor expresses your personality, but home shoppers may have different tastes. Consider changing the decor to appeal to a large number of buyers. This practice is known as “staging,” and it could mean you rearrange furniture, tone down dramatic wall paint with more neutral colors or even rent new pieces of furniture until the home is sold.
You could ask your real estate agent for design suggestions and stage your home on your own. Or if you’d prefer a professional home stager, your agent may be able to suggest someone. You can also contact the Real Estate Staging Association for names. Take note of these steps to get your home ready to sell before you put it on the market. The effort you make repairing, cleaning and staging can pay off big when a buyer makes an attractive offer on your house.
When deciding the listing price of your home a major consideration should be how quickly you would like it to sell. The market value of a home is a range depending on the area it is located, the condition of the home, and the number of other homes available. The amount of traffic (showings) will often depend on how the home is priced. It can be priced at the top of the market range, which may result in fewer showings. That is fine if you are not in a hurry to sell. Or it can be priced at the lower end of the market range. This may result in more showings leading to an offer sooner. The strategy is one that should be discussed with your agent prior to signing the listing agreement so we understand your expectations.
