If you’re thinking of selling your home this spring, you are in the right place. Maybe you are ready to upsize, downsize, or simply move to a new neighborhood. Now is a great time to list! Demand remains high, interest rates are at an all time low, and inventory is lacking. Get a head start on preparing your home to sell to make life easier during the selling process.
Tips for preparing your home to sell.
Bring in a handyman.
Have repairs made to the little maintenance items that you’ve been meaning to fix but haven’t had the time to. Damaged drywall, missing grout, torn window screens, leaky faucets, etc. Anything that you can see with the naked eye that would give a buyer a reason to nit pick. While they will likely have an engineer inspection prior to purchasing, and every inspector produces different results, it’s still a good idea to give your home a maintenance boost before listing.
Clear off your surfaces.
This applies to ALL surfaces. Kitchen counters, dressers, bathroom vanities, etc. No one wants to look at your clutter. They want to envision their own clutter. Put your toaster and coffee maker away. Put your tooth brush and toothpaste under the sink. Put your hairdryer and hairbrush away. Put away any expensive jewelry laying out on the dresser. You want potential buyers to feel like there is plenty of counter space in the kitchen and baths. And while you’re at it, take the clutter off of your refrigerator.
Check for smells.
We are immune to smells we are around every day. Consider having someone come in to check for odors from pets, mold, smoke etc. If smells are detected, you absolutely must get it under control. A bad smell could make any buyer turn right back around after walking through the front door.
Clean your windows.
This is especially important if your property is located in an area that has a pretty view. Whether you have a water view, vineyard view, or farm view, clean the windows and let’s see it! Dirt and dust build up can prevent you from focusing on the beautiful view and in most cases, thats really what you are selling. Cleaning them will also allow more light in making the entire indoor space feel fresh. While you’re at it, dust the blinds because no one wants to see that.
Fix up the curb appeal.
You want to make sure your front lawn and the front of the house looks warm and inviting. No need to give it a complete makeover but try planting some flowers, fix/paint your fencing, or paint your front door. Entice buyers who are likely driving by to call and make an appointment to see it. If they call from the exterior of the house they’ve already established they like the location, and that’s half of the battle.
Put away your personal photographs.
This task can be very emotional but it’s important to do. We are naturally drawn to people’s faces, it’s instinct. If you’re home has family photos everywhere, buyers will be distracted and lose focus on why they are there. They will start to ask questions about you when its really none of their business. You want them to focus on the house, not who is selling the house and why.
If you’ve decided to sell your home but have no idea where to start, contact me. From staging your home, to determining the market value, to negotiating offers, I’ll walk you through every step of the selling process. Reach out and let’s talk about your plans.
