5 first steps to prepare your house for sale
First impressions have a huge impact on potential buyers. It is for this reason that a good real estate agent will tour your home to suggest the right repairs and updates to best complement your home and sell it quickly. With your real estate agent, you’ll imagine what a potential buyer will see when they walk up to your house and walk through each room. Your real estate agent will know what potential buyers in your neighborhood and price range are looking for and what will help you sell your unique home and highlight its features. Here is a generic list to help you get started.
1.) Night lights
Many people are not aware that potential homebuyers often drop by their home at night. If you don’t have the right lighting to highlight features in your home, invest in a new porch light and some in-ground lighting to highlight your pathway or garden features.
2.) Curb appeal
Elevate your curb appeal by cleaning up your yard, mowing and edging your lawn, and trimming any bushes you have. Fix any first impressions that might catch the buyer’s eye, such as cracks in the concrete, weeds, broken porch posts, ugly doors, and any clutter that might be stored in front of your house. Also, if you have a mailbox, make sure it’s charming and that your doorbell works well and makes a nice, audible sound from outside.
3.) Preparation inside
The first step in preparing your house for sale is to remove any unnecessary items from the house so that you can imagine your own things in it. Less is more when it comes to furniture and decoration. Leave the bare minimum for furniture to show how big the space is, and then include decor only where you want to highlight features or draw attention. An expert tip is to remove all but 1/3 of the contents of your closet and get matching hangers. Be sure to replace or shampoo all the rugs in the house. Pay special attention to staging the restrooms with a new roll of toilet paper (VIP folded over, not under, and pointing down in a triangle shape), new hand soap, new guest towels, and a shower curtain that looks clean. Dress up beds with attractive and cohesive bedding sets.
4.) Do all the small, inexpensive repairs
Buyers will look at all the functional elements of the house and will count even the smallest repairs. Be sure to fix all leaky faucets, faulty or squeaky doors, light bulbs, and fans, seal tubs and showers freshly if needed, replace filters, inspect and clean water heater, and have appliances checked. as presentable as possible. You can even include a piece of paper attached to appliances that explains their desirable features or share with potential buyers your average electric bills and other household expenses specific to your property.
5.) Appeal to your senses during open houses
Having all the lights on, the shades open, a candle burning, and fresh cookies (preferably freshly baked for the scent) will engage the shopper’s senses and make them feel at home. Remove all of the pet’s belongings, including bowls and food. Empty trash cans and close toilet lids.
