Preparing to Sell Your Home
Although pricing is of primary importance when preparing to sell your home, there are other issues that will greatly affect its marketability. Here are 5 suggestions to help your home sell quickly:
1. Prepare yourself to sell your home. Try to see your house as a product to be marketed,
not as your home.
2. Consider a professional whole house inspection to uncover any major defects.
3. Prepare the house to sell, repairing flaws.
4. Make your house stand out from the competition by appearing fresh, clean and well maintained.
5. Remove much of your “imprint” on the house by depersonalizing it. Buyers must be able to envision themselves in your house.
Interior Preparation
It is important to make a potential buyer’s visit as pleasant as possible. Many homeowners make the mistake of ignoring certain repair or maintenance items hoping buyers will not notice or, if they do, telling them the seller will repair or replace the item. Most buyers do not have vision. They are not able to look at a home that needs paint and carpet and imagine it fresh and attractive. Telling them that something will be cleaned, painted or repaired will work with some buyers, but most will not be able to envision the house after the changes and will scratch your home from their list.
Painting: When preparing a house to sell, painting gives the best return for the money spend. Paint any rooms that have dirty or marked walls or rooms painted in very dark colors. Keep it neutral.
Carpeting: At a minimum, carpeting needs to be steam cleaned. Any worn, stained or foul smelling carpet should be replaced.
Operation: If you are not having a whole house inspection done, check all faucets, toilets and electrical items for correct operation.
Safety: Make sure your house is safe, repairing wobbly railings and any other items that could cause injury to potential buyers.
Clutter: De-clutter! If an item is not necessary for day-to-day use, box it up and store it or throw it out.
Fireplace: Have a professional fireplace cleaning and inspection. Your home will appear cleaner and fresher smelling.
Closets: Make sure all closets are neat, clean and organized.
Doors and Windows: Check for smooth operation. Replace any cracked window panes.
Cleaning: A thorough cleaning, including dusting, washing, waxing and removing grime from doors and switches will always make a house more appealing. Make sure all appliances, including stove hood, are well cleaned. Pay special attention to any tile grout.
Clean windows.
Lighting: Your home should be well lit with any burned out or missing light bulbs replaced.
Exterior Preparation
Take a look at your home from the street. This will be its first impression on a potential buyer. If you need major improvements or renovations, do them before you put it on the market. The average buyer does not have the vision to see the finished product. Keep in mind that sellers often have to discount the price of their home more than the cost of necessary updates and repairs, so have them done if at all possible.
Overall appearance: Remove any junk or clutter from the yard, including tree limbs, leaves, toys, lawn maintenance equipment, etc. If the exterior of the house or trim is dirty or moldy, powerwash it. Paint if necessary.
Grass: Keep the lawn well maintained, including reseeding any bare areas.
Landscaping: Trim shrubbery and plants. Trim trees, if needed, and plant colorful flowers in season. Adding mulch to beds is an effective way of freshening the yard.
Driveway: Add gravel to a rock driveway, if needed. Keep hard surface driveways clean.
Decks and porches: Powerwash and seal, stain or paint, if needed.
Gutters and downspouts: Check to make sure they are clear and functioning properly.
Lighting: Make sure all exterior lights are operational.
Windows: Make sure windows are clean and operational.