Prior to deciding to put your house on the market, ask your real estate agent for assistance with boosting your home’s presentation. Your agent can advise you what buyers expect within your particular market and at your home’s price point. The following 10 steps are a great way to get a head start on getting ready to sell your home.
10 Things to Do Prior To Deciding To Sell Your Home
1. Welcome buyers. Make your front door visible and accessible to buyers. Paint the door, clear debris and clutter from the walkway and yard, mow the lawn and prune hedges. Pot or plant colorful annuals and perennials to attract attention from the street. Fix broken screens, doorbells, roof tiles, shingles and outdoor lighting, and replace your doormat. Exterior defects can certainly create a poor first impression on buyers.
2. Make it sparkle. Cleanliness implies a home has been well cared for, so deep cleaning can win points with buyers. Buyers scrutinize homes, especially bathrooms and kitchens. Re-caulk and repaint to provide these grime-prone rooms a fresh and clean look. Clean rugs and carpets to get rid of unattractive stains or dinginess and eliminate odors. Tidy each room, including cabinets, closets and the garage, before showing. And if it appears overwhelming to do all that cleaning yourself, consider hiring a professional cleaning company to take care of all of it for you.
3. Start packing. Cramped and cluttered rooms turn buyers off and make your house look smaller. A home stuffed with your personal belongings also can make it challenging for others to envision living there. Begin by storing away excess furniture, toys and personal decorations, such as family photos. Pack up items you don’t use on a daily basis, and put them in storage or ask a friend to hold onto them. De-cluttering your house also gives you a jump start on your move.
4. Paint wisely. A well-done, no-frills paint job is all you need. Place a fresh coat of paint on white or beige walls, and repaint walls that have eccentric or unconventional colors. Nature- and spa-inspired neutral colors, such as taupe and subtle gray, are the best choices. Definitely don’t forget about the trim and molding either. And a fresh paint job on outdated or worn cabinetry goes a long way, too.
5. Fix the small stuff. Repair or replace broken or outdated hardware throughout your home. It is possible to install new door handles, faucets, towel bars and curtain rods – fixtures that are readily visible to home-buyers – rather inexpensively. New hardware in the bathroom, kitchen and on windows and doors also enhances the functionality and safety of these components.
6. Update lighting. Replace decorative light fixtures that no longer fit your home’s cleaner, fresher look. Install new bulbs with the appropriate lighting for specific areas of your home. For example, ambient, low-key lighting fills a room, whereas directional or task lighting is more effective in areas like a reading nook. Use accent lighting to highlight focal points in a room, such as the artwork above a mantle, to draw buyers’ attention to certain selling points.
7. Frame windows. Be certain to have the right window treatments, which enhance natural brightness and increase the appearance of a home. Window treatments can also impact a room’s temperature given that they reduce or increase the amount of light entering the space. Adjust window treatments appropriately when showing your home in the mornings, afternoon and evenings.
8. Set the table. Fresh, decorative flowers in the kitchen or on the dining room table will almost always be a nice touch. Also, keep place settings handy for your tables so that you can quickly set them out just before showings or an open house. Pull out all the formal stops for a dining room, and keep the table casual in the kitchen.
9. Hide unsightly everyday items. Don’t leave children’s toys and pet belongings out in the open during showings and open houses. Move litter boxes, pet dishes, toys, animal crates and kids’ entertainment to less conspicuous areas of the home, such as an outdoor storage unit or garage before each showing or open house. Also think about where you may store items like dirty laundry and dirty kitchen sponges.
10. Don’t overlook the back. Keep the backyard looking spacious and functional. Plant or pot colorful flowers and keep the landscaping trimmed and neat. Consistently pick up after your pets so buyers feel comfortable touring the yard.