Home-Selling Checklist: 10 Things to Do Before Selling Your House
Selling a home is not something that usually happens overnight. A lot of time and effort has to be put into this process seeing as how we all want to make the house more appealing to potential buyers. In order to achieve that, we’ve compiled a list of ten things you should do before you put your home on the market. Take a look.
Declutter the Space
The first step in making a home more attractive is decluttering. Basically, your goal is to show off the space the house offers and you cannot do that if every room and surface is cluttered with your stuff. Go through the entire house and see what is not essential and either pack it up and take it to storage or sell and donate what you can.
Depersonalize the Rooms
Along with decluttering comes an element of depersonalizing. You want potential buyers to see a blank canvas where they can realize their own ideas and projects. So, hide all those family photos, remove the bold artwork and stash away personal items.
Clean Thoroughly
Seeing as how buyers really scrutinize the home they are interested in, you have to make sure it is spotless. Deep clean everything. Vacuum and wipe the floors, dust every surface, thoroughly clean the kitchen and bathroom. Check all furniture, rugs, and curtains for stains and odors and look for ways of removing them. Don’t forget that, if all this seems overwhelming, you can also turn to a cleaning company to make the house sparkle.
Put a Fresh Coat of Paint
Another way to make the space look cleaner is putting a fresh coat of paint on the walls. You don’t have to do anything special – in fact, people prefer neutral colors so that they can envision their own ideas for these spaces. If you have a statement wall, think about toning it down. So, keep everything white, gray or beige. Plus, don’t neglect the molding and trim.
Fix Things Up
Inspect the entire house and see whether there are any small issues that need fixing. For example, you can replace outdated or broken hardware pieces. Get new faucets, lighting fixtures, door handles and so on. These things are quite inexpensive but catch the buyers’ eye. Furthermore, if there are any damaged spots on the floors or walls, make sure they are fixed before you put your home on the market.
Boost Your Curb Appeal
Just like the inside of your home, the outside also needs some TLC. There are both small and big things you can choose to do, so pick carefully. For instance, you can replace the entire roof, but you can also just repaint the façade or the front door. Other inexpensive upgrades include putting up new house numbers and a mailbox or properly lighting the pathway to the home’s entrance.
Think About the Landscape
A huge part of the curb appeal is the landscaping around your house, so you cannot afford to neglect it. Make sure your lawn is green and neatly mowed. In case you have some issues with it, such as yellowing or discoloration, look into common causes associated with this and what you can do to fix the issue. Other than that, trim the trees and bushes and avoid too many plants as people usually want a clean slate where they can grow what they like.
Fix the Driveway
The driveway and pathways also contribute to the look of your home, so they could also use some attention. Look for any cracks or holes and fix them accordingly. You can get the pros to deal with this or you could look online to see what you need, visit a local home improvement store and do it yourself.
Consider Bigger Projects
If you have the budget for it, you can also consider doing some bigger projects to boost your home’s value. For instance, you can remodel the kitchen and think about an open floor plan. Adding energy-efficient appliances is another great way to interest potential buyers as everyone is looking for methods to save some money. Other things you can do include adding a new bathroom or a deck as well as replacing all doors and windows with energy-efficient models and having proper insulation done.
Set the Stage
The last thing that you have to do is set the stage for welcoming buyers. Seeing as how you probably put a lot of effort into the curb appeal, you just have to create a mood inside. For instance, get as much light as you can so that the buyers can see every aspect of the home. You can set the dining table, put fresh flowers around and think about preparing some snacks and drinks for the viewers. Moreover, make sure the temperature in the home is just right.
Selling a home won’t be an overnight event, and neither is getting it into shape for the same. Take time and care when approaching the various tips we’ve listed above to assure the best possible results. Once you’re ready to put it up on the market, you’ll be safe in the knowledge that you’ve done everything you can to maximize the potential of your home’s curb appeal and saleability. We wish you the best of luck!
