Whether you plan to sell your house next month or a couple of years from now, preparing it for sale is a critical step you shouldn’t overlook. An appealing, functional, and well-maintained home will not only attract more prospective buyers but may also command a higher price. But what exactly should you do before putting your house on the market?
There are many things you should do while preparing your home for sale. Before putting it on the market, ask your real estate agent for advice about improving your home’s overall presentation. Depending on the market and your home’s price point, your real estate agent will help you. You need to stop and ask yourself, what should I do to my house before I sell it? There are plenty of ways to get a head start on what you should do before selling your house. Let’s take a deeper dive into those steps!
Things to Do Before Selling Your Home
First Impressions Matter!
Start by welcoming the buyers! You know the saying, “First impressions matter?” This is very much true when you’re preparing your home for sale. Your front door should be visible and accessible to the buyers. Do some fresh door painting to make it stand out. Also, clean the debris and clutter from the walkway and yard, mow your lawn and plant colourful annuals. This will allow your house to attract the attention of people driving or walking by. Exterior defects are not good and could hinder that first impression. So, fix anything broken and damaged to create a welcoming and fresh home for potential buyers. Cleanliness is super important! It implies that your home is dealt with daily, leaving no dirty marks behind. Cleanliness definitely will impress potential buyers.
What Should I Do to My House Before I Sell It?
- Slowly start packing: As a buyer, you cannot envision living in a home when you see other people’s belongings. You should slowly start packing your stuff, whether your kid’s toys, personal decorations, or family photos.
Start with the things you don’t need that often, then work your way up. Decluttering your home will give you a good head start on your departure.
- Paint: A great paint job is another way to leave a lasting impression on potential buyers. Put a fresh coat of paint on white walls and then repaint them with some of the most popular paint colours.
This can mean nature-inspired paint colours or neutral, like subtle gray or taupe. Also, do not forget about trims and moulding either. A fresh paint job on old cabinetry is a bonus.
- Small stuff that needs fixing: Have any outdated hardware? Broken furniture? You should fix those as soon as possible! Fixing cost-effective things in your home is a good place to start.
This includes installing new door handles, towel bars and curtain rods. You can even take it one step further and add new hardware to your bathroom, kitchen, windows and doors. You should try to improve the functionality of your home so that everything is excellent and ready for the buyers.
- Lighting: For a fresher look, you can replace your decorative lights with new bulbs that have appropriate lighting for certain areas of your home. For example, low-key lighting fills a room, but directional lighting works well in areas like a reading nook.
Also, use accent lighting to hone in on the main areas of your home (living room and kitchen). You can even spotlight an artwork in your home (if you have one) to draw the buyers’ attention to specific selling points.
Don’t Forget About Your Backyard
While everyone tries to maintain the interior of their home, and with good reason, don’t forget about your backyard. It is just as important as the interior.
Keep your backyard clean, functional and spacious. Plant your flowers and keep your lawn trimmed and neat. Also, pick up after your pets (if you have them) so that the buyers feel comfortable touring your yard.
Your Essential Home Selling Checklist
Selling your home can be an exciting albeit daunting process. It’s more than simply placing a “For Sale” sign on your lawn. Stay organized, reduce stress, and keep the process smooth with this essential home checklist for selling a house and moving.
1. Decide When to Sell
Understanding the real estate market dynamics can influence your decision on when to sell your home. Research and identify what month is the best to sell a house or the best time to sell in your area. Spring and summer are typically considered profitable seasons, but they could vary based on local housing market trends.
2. Hire a Real Estate Agent
A dedicated real estate agent knowledgeable about your local market can guide you through complex procedures and paperwork, provide an actionable selling strategy, and often fetch a higher selling price for your property.
3. Set the Right Price
Pricing your home right from the outset is crucial. An overpriced home might linger on the market, while an underpriced one may result in a financial loss. Your real estate agent can provide a comparative market analysis to help establish a competitive yet profitable price.
4. Prepare Your Home for Sale
Deep Clean: Hire professional cleaners for a thorough cleaning or do it yourself. Clean homes make a positive first impression.
Declutter and Depersonalize: Create a neutral and spacious environment that allows prospective buyers to visualize themselves living in your home.
Repair and Maintenance: Address minor and major issues like leaky faucets, faulty switches, broken tiles, chipped paint, etc.
Update and Renovate: Consider cost-effective updates or renovations that might enhance your home’s appeal and value. Consult your real estate agent to avoid overcapitalization.
Boost Curb Appeal: Spruce up your landscape, exterior walls, doorways, and driveway. The outside of your home is the first thing buyers see, so make it inviting.
5. Stage Your Home
Consider professional staging to make your home more attractive. Staged homes often sell quicker and at a higher price. If professional staging isn’t feasible, simple measures such as rearranging furniture, optimizing lighting, or adding fresh flowers can make a difference.
7. Market and List Your Home
Work with your agent to devise a marketing strategy that includes high-quality property photos, a compelling property description, and online listing across various platforms. A well-executed marketing plan helps attract potential buyers and increase your home’s visibility.
6. Get a Pre-Listing Home Inspection
A pre-listing home inspection uncovers potential issues, allowing you to fix problems ahead of time. It boosts buyer confidence and can lead to a smoother transaction.
8. Show Your Home
Keep your home ready for showings. Be flexible with your timing to accommodate potential buyers’ schedules.
9. Review and Negotiate Offers
You may receive multiple offers, which your real estate agent can help you evaluate and negotiate. Remember, considering contingencies and financing, the highest offer isn’t always the best.
10. Complete the Sale
Once you’ve accepted an offer, you’ll need to work with your agent and the buyer’s agent to finalize the contract, arrange for appraisals and inspections, take care of any additional negotiations, and finally, complete the legal paperwork.
Selling your home can be complicated, but this checklist can keep you organized and focused, paving the way for a successful sale.
What Should I Do to My House Before Selling It?
What should I do to my house before I sell it? Follow all the pointers that were mentioned, and you will be just fine! When selling your house, you should think of it as a test. When studying for a test, you want to memorize and understand the content. Once you do that, the odds of you passing are that much higher because you were prepared. That is exactly how selling a house is. When you are fully prepared and have done everything you need to do to get your house ready for sale, you have completed the test. In terms of the minor repairs your home needs, you can get the help of a painting company. Experienced painters can get the job done quickly and efficiently for you before your buyers come. I know it is stressful selling your house and getting everything ready, but try to calm down. You can do this with the right preparation and guidance from some of the best interior painters in your region.
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