5 Steps to Prepare Your House to Sell

You are busy cleaning and decluttering your home as you pack and prepare for your next big move. Now you are left thinking with the thought of what to do so your home looks ready to sell. Here are a handful of tips that will help sell your house faster and save you money.

Tip #1. Depersonalize your space. While you are packing your belongings, be sure to take down your family pictures, religious artifacts, and items that may pertain to specific hobbies. It is important that the house is as neutral as possible so that the buyers can see themselves in your space.

Tip #2. Update the landscape and refresh the front door. If the outside of your home does not look manicured a buyer may hesitate getting out of their car and never make it inside. Avoid this by giving your front door and porch a fresh coat of paint. At the very least consider a pressure washing.  Make sure there is outdoor lighting and the windows are sparking clean. A green landscape and cut and trimmed lawn is always a sign that the homeowner takes care of their home. Pops of color can be added with a couple of colorful flower pots filled with flowers. A new welcome mat by the front door is always a nice touch. The Buyers will be anxious to explore the inside.

Tip #3. Obvious Repairs and updates. Repair the leaky faucet, replace the carpet with current tile or wood flooring. If the door knob is about to fall off the door, replace it with a new one that matches the rest of the doors. Replace doors with paneled doors, replace power switch covers with white clean ones. Paint the inside in one neutral light color. Choose a focal wall in the Primary Bedroom and get creative with wood or wall paper. Your house will stand out from it's competition. 

Tip#4. Get an Inspection. Hiring a General Inspector is a smart start to create a list of things to repair around the house. The Inspector will provide a report that will include items that may need replacement or repairs that are not too obvious to you. Or, have your HVAC system inspected to make sure it is doing it's job properly.

Tip #5. Clean and Stage. Your Bathrooms should be as clean as one at the Ritz Hotel and the Kitchen should pass Martha Stewart's inspection. No Buts about this, this is imperative, so clean and clean again. If possible, work with your Realtor to stage your home with your own furniture. This will make a significant impact when the Buyers stroll through the space. If your furniture needs repair, consider hiring a Professional Stager. Homes that are small will need to be staged to show how the furniture truly fits. The large open spaces that include Living/Family, Dining Room, and Kitchen will need to be staged as well.

I have worked with Seller's in preparing their homes for the Market. Those that followed my tips sold quickly and saved time and money. I enjoy this phase of the Selling process. It gives me the opportunity to familiarize myself with the space which leads to adding personal touches to the house and makes it stand out against the competition. Please consider my services when thinking about selling your property. I am thrilled to help.