Preparing Home for Selling

You want to sell your home. You are ready but is your house ready? Here are some step-by-step instructions and tips for ensuring that your house is at its best and more than ready for the real estate market.

Clean, Clean, then Clean Some More…

People will judge whether or not they want to live in a home primarily by what they see. If they see a dirty house, they’ll wonder about its condition and about the attention paid (or not paid) to the areas they can’t see. Please, don’t give them a chance to think about what problems may lurk beneath.
If you only do the minimum, then it is to clean, clean, clean. Take our Cleaning Checklist and go room-by-room, to inspect every nook and cranny, then do your cleaning plan and get busy. Here are some examples of what needs to be cleaned:

Bathroom

  • Clean the tile and grout
  • Wash the shower curtain
  • Scrub those porcelain pieces until they sparkle

Windows

  • Clean them inside and out
  • Note any glass broken and replace
  • Pick up the dirt and wash around and between windows

Declutter

Declutter, declutter, declutter. In a nutshell, you want to show your home; not your stuff. So you’ll need to remove the excess to show your home in the best light.
Remove old magazines and recyclables. Ensure your kitchen countertops are cleared, with just a couple of pieces in place such as the toaster and coffee maker. Clear your refrigerator of magnets, drawings and papers. Remember, the potential buyers will be imaging themselves in your kitchen as their own.

Neutralize

Should it be recommended that you paint, then its advised to go with soft neutral colors. Even if the potential buyers will repaint every room to their taste, they’ll know that they can move in to the home as it is, and not have to paint up a storm before they move. In addition, neutral colors have a soothing effect and will have a positive effect for the presentation of the whole house.

Repairs

This is key! If repairs are needed in the house, it’s advised to get them done. Fix that leaky faucet and replace burnt out light bulbs. You want to minimize the negative and not lead into questions on what else can be wrong with the house.

Furniture placement

Are any of your rooms overcrowded? This is where storage can come in. Less is more. It is best to have furniture placed to accent the positive such as the view from the window and show off the appeal of the fireplace. The aim of placement is for a good presentation from each corner with ease of mobility. Large or excess pieces can make the room feel crowded and too small.

Curb appeal

You never get a second chance to make a first impression. The buyer will first see your home from the curb to the front yard and the driveway (if applicable). How does it look? Even if you’ve decluttered, painted, and spruced up the inside, they might not venture in based on the curb side view. So best to tidy up the front by edging, weeding and cutting the lawn and trimming the shrubbery. Consider container plants at the front for a welcoming entrance.