Tips For Preparing Your Home For Sale
After you have addressed any maintenance issues, the following tips will help you to present your property in its best light. Your agent would be happy to assist with all of your home preparations.
• Create curb appeal: First impressions are key. Oftentimes an emotional connection to your home is made the minute the buyer arrives. Make sure the lawn is mowed, hedges trimmed and any walkways or sidewalks are cleared. The front door should be freshly painted. If there are more significant issues—for instance, chips in the home’s exterior paint or a missing brick from a stairway—be sure to address these.
• Declutter: When preparing the interior of your home for sale, remember that less is more. If there is too much clutter or unnecessary furniture, it can get in the way of a buyer seeing the house itself. Go through each room and see if there are any unnecessary items in the room that you can remove. Temporary storage is a great option if you aren’t sure what to do with certain items.
• Depersonalize: Buyers want to be able to envision themselves living in your home, but seeing too much of an owner’s memorabilia can make that hard. It does not mean you have to remove all personal items (like family photographs and collections) but it is a good idea to keep them to a minimum.
• Consider some repainting: Particularly in rooms that are not currently painted in a neutral color. You want to appeal to as wide a group of potential buyers as possible.
• Let the light in: Make sure to clean windows, clear window sills and consider adding floor or table lamps to rooms that tend to be dark. The lighter and brighter a home is, the more welcoming it will feel.
• Clean and eliminate odors: Be sure to give your home a thorough cleaning, particularly before showings. A clean, freshsmelling home helps to assure the buyer that your home is well cared for.
• Hire a home inspector: If you have owned the home for a significant amount of time and are concerned about what a home inspection may discover, hire your own home inspector. Although not inexpensive, this would allow you to deal with any major issues ahead of time rather than have to provide a credit to a buyer that may or may not be fair. It is also a terrific marketing tool and goes a long way in giving buyers confidence in their purchasing decision.
• Pets: If you have pets, make sure you have a plan for their care during open houses and showings