So, you’ve decided to sell your home. Let the party begin!
Selling your home can stir up a variety of emotions and can affect each family member in different ways. But once you’ve decided that selling is really going to happen, it takes a bit of mental toughness to dive into those tasks that need to be completed to ensure your home will appeal to the largest number of buyers.
One thing to keep in mind is what I heard Dave Ramsey say in one of his seminars; when you decide to sell your home, you must act as if “You no longer live there!”.
Here are some home selling tips that will increase your chances of a selling your home fast.
Think Like a Customer
Just like a retail manager, occasionally you need to step back and assess your environment. Pretend you are looking at your home for the first time. What do you see that needs your attention? Take a good hard look at your home from the street, the backyard and then every room. How does it measure up?
Consider the following hints for staging your home to sell:
What Does Your Home Look Like from the Street?
Buyers can tell quickly if a home shows pride of ownership. Your home may not be the newest one on the block but it can be well maintained. It only takes one glance to form an opinion. Clean out the gutters, trim any overgrown foliage, and prune trees properly. The yard should be mowed regularly in season and edged to give it a sharp appearance including the backyard. Pick up any trash, leaves or debris as soon as it appears and put away the toys. Make sure screens and shutters are in great shape and touch up any faded or peeling paint.
Declutter Your Home
Let’s be honest. We all own too much stuff! Go through every room, closet, drawer and cabinet and remove approximately 30-50% of the items. Don’t forget the garage, attic and the backyard. Host a yard sale or donate items you no longer need. Even if you just can’t part with certain things, box it up and store it off-site. This will create the impression of a more spacious home. And believe me, your buyers are going to look into every area to see if your home will work for them. And they need to be able to inspect plumbing under the sinks and other systems in mechanical closets. You’re going to be moving soon anyway, why not let go of those items you aren’t using?
The Entryway is the First Impression
A prospective buyer gets a good impression while waiting for their agent to access the lockbox. Remove any cobwebs, add a nice welcome mat, clean the door and light fixtures and touch up the trim. Ornamental items and plants should be kept to a minimum and make sure all the glass sparkles. This is an easy area to maintain and can create an impressive welcome for your guests!
Scale the Furniture to the Room
Remove any over-sized or bulky furniture to open up every room of your home. Don’t crowd any windows, doorways or main walking areas. Your home should flow well and feel airy and spacious.
Depersonalize and Make Appealing
Remove family photos or special collections and replace them with more generic but tasteful accessories that reflect current trends. Repaint rooms that have extremely unique colors to more neutral tones. Most of the time this can be done without a lot of cost. If you don’t know what to do, ask for help from someone who can add that special touch and is not afraid to give you an honest opinion.
Main Focus is Bathrooms & Kitchens
Kitchens and baths sell homes so make them sparkle everyday! After you have cleaned out from under the sinks and thinned out the cabinets, clean all glass, tubs, showers, floors, countertops, baseboards and behind major appliances. Remove bottles and toiletry items from tubs and showers and store them out of site. Eliminate extra items from the counters to make them appear larger. It is a good idea to wipe down the shower or tub after each use so that they are dry when your buyers are visiting.
Free Some Space: Closets and cabinets
Remove about half of the items in these areas. Take all of your off-season clothing and put into storage and clean out extra shoes and clutter from the floor so that the entire closet seems roomy. Cabinets should be neat and well organized so that buyers can see the actual space and not a lot of extra stuff!
Garages Need Love Too
In spite of what most people think, garages are for cars! Not overflow for items you just can’t part with. Make sure you can actually park your vehicles inside. This will go a long way in showing the functionality and convenience of your home. Clear out any cobwebs, sweep the floors and clean up any oil or fluid stains. Outdoor tools should be kept at a minimum and be stored neatly into racks so that the floor space and walkways are not blocked. If your breaker box is located in this area be sure there is a clear pathway for access and that nothing is blocking doorways or windows. Make sure that automatic doors are functioning properly.
Hide Your Pets and Their Accessories
Not everyone is a pet lover so you must think like that. Make sure your pets are placed in a secure area that won’t hinder your buyer from viewing your property. If possible, take them off-site during showings. Make sure your home is free from pet odor and hair and store feeding bowls and beds out of site.
Miscellaneous
Make sure all lighting is functional so that every room is bright. Doorbells, appliances, smoke detectors and exhaust fans should be in working order. Windows and doors should open and close properly and lubricate those creaky hinges. Check water faucets for drips and repair if needed. Drains should flow freely and the garbage disposal should be in good working order as well. Your buyer is going to order a home inspection in most cases so you may as well address these items on the front end.
While this may seem like a lot of work, you must keep the end goal in mind. And that is to get your home sold as quickly as possible and for the best price. Make your home easy to show and a joy to view. For more home selling tips, check out our selling section, or give me a call. You won’t regret the results!