Getting ready to sell your house? Then it's time to roll up your sleeves and get to work because there are tons of things to do. before listing your home.
Selling a home, after all, entails a whole lot more than planting a "Fore Sale" sign in your lawn or uploading a few random photos of you place, especially if you want to get maximum dollars from the sale. That's why I put together this list of things to do for selling a house.
Find a great real estate agent
Think you can sell your home yourself, and pocket the cash you would otherwise pay a real estate agent? It can be tempting, especially in a hot market. The "for sale by owner" transaction is almost always a disaster, that's why finding a good real estate agent is one of the most important thing to do before selling your house.
That said, don't just blindly hire the agent who most recently sent you a flyer, talk to people who went through the process of selling their home to get recommendations, do some research to find an agent that is knowledgeable about your specific market, then talk to them to be sure their a good fit for you. You need to fell comfortable with working with him or her.
Consider your curb appeal
People tend to judge a book by it's cover. You want to be sure the potential buyers first impression of your home is a good one to inspire them to stop by the open house or schedule a tour so they can see more. Consider investing some effort reality easy fixes , like planting colorful flowers and repainting your door, then outside of your home can beckon the buyers to come on in.
Declutter living areas
Less is defiantly more when it comes to getting your house ready to show. Do a clean sweep of counters, windowsills, tables and all other visible areas, then tackle behind closet doors , closets ,drawers, and cupboards, nothing is off limits for curious buyers. If the house is overflowing with stuff buyers will worry there is not enough storge for their own things. Take your excess stuff and donate it or take it to storage.
Depersonalize your space
Sellers should remove personnel items and family photos, as well as bold art work and furniture that might make the home less appealing to the general public. The goal is to create a blank canvas which the buyers can visualize themselves and their family living in that property.
Repaint walls to neutral tones
You might like that orange accent wall, but if it's your potential buyers least favorite color, that would be a turnoff. Your are pretty safe with neutral colors because it's rare someone hates it., but the other benefit is that light colors allows buyers to envision what it would look like with colors of their own choice.
Touch up any scuff marks
Even if your are painting the complete interior of your home , you should pay special attention scrubbing to baseboards, doors and walls to make the house sparkle and look cared for. Selling a house can be tricky , but selling a home with lots of little problems and small repairs can be downright difficult. When buyers walk into an open house , or go on a home tour, they want to fall in love with the house, not add a bunch of of small repairs to their to-do list.
Fix any loose handles
This may sound minor, but you'd be surprised by the negative effect a loose handle or missing lightbulb can have on a buyer.
It can make buyers think "What else is broken here"
Add some plants
When staging your house, remember green is good. Plants create bright and more welcoming environment. You might want to consider a bouquet of flowers or a bowl of fruit on the kitchen counter or dining table.
Conduct a smell test
Foul odors, even slight ones , can be a deal breaker, and the problem is you may not even notice them. Ask one of your friends to come over and ask if the detect any odors?
Clean, clean, clean
Once your done cleaning your house, clean again. Even if you are not worried what buyers think of your home's scent, you want your property to look spotless.
Hide valuables
From art to jewelry, keep your treasures of sight, either locked up or stored off-site.
Unfortunately you can't trust anyone who comes into your house, especially when you are selling it.
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Consider staging
Does your house scream 1985? Nothing invigorates a house like some new furnishings or a perfectly chosen mirror. The key is to get your home staged by a professional.