3 Things To Do To Get Your Home Ready To Sell

When you are ready to put your home on the market, you can’t change the style, location or age.  However, there are areas where spending some time will prepare your home to do best in the market.   We believe there are three important things you can and should address.

1-Curb Appeal and Entryway

You know the old saying, “Don’t judge a book by its cover”.  Houses are not books, though and prospective buyers will do exactly that!  The first time a prospective buyer sees your home either in person or online plays a major role in creating interest, so try to see what they see.  Take a step to the front of your yard and look at your home through the eyes of a buyer.

                                     

Is the driveway clean?  Can you park in the garage?  Is the sidewalk and siding/trim clean?  Are the flower beds free from weeds?  Does the front entry look inviting? 

For any of these where the answer is no, the solution is usually easy and inexpensive.  If the siding, driveway or sidewalks are dirty, try pressure washing them.  If you have so much junk piled in your garage that cars won’t fit, spend an hour or two just organizing and discarding items you don’t need.  If your flower beds aren’t pleasing to the eye, try spreading a load of mulch and plant some pretty annuals.  To make your front porch look like a great place to relax, put two pillowed rocking chairs and maybe a table with a flower arrangement.

Your buyer will make the decision whether they like your home in six total seconds.  The first three seconds are based on the curb appeal and the next three are based on the first things they see as they walk through your door.

2-Clean like you’ve never cleaned before!

If a buyer is going to make up their mind within the first three seconds of entering your home, everything they see and smell needs to be CLEAN!  Yes, I said smell.  There is nothing worse than opening the front door to a beautiful home and experiencing a litter box odor! Take an inventory of every square foot of space in your home and ask yourself “What do I need to clean or organize in here?”  After you have cleaned like a wild cleaning machine, go through the entire house and replace light bulbs that are burned out and finally get to that honey-do-list you’ve been putting off for so long.

                            

3- Declutter!

Some people don’t like this step because they say they still want to be able to enjoy their home while trying to sell it.  However, many prospective buyers cannot see past all the seller’s possessions to visualize themselves in the house.  Therefore lots of personal photos and nick knacks can distract them.  All those things placed neatly on the counter may say to the buyer that there must not be enough cabinet space to put things away.  As a seller you should look at it this way.  You are putting your home on the market because you want to move and you want to get top price for it.  Your home needs to be clean and clutter free so the buyer can picture their things in the home. Take a box around every room and pack some of the more personal things away. Most homes sell in 4-6 months.  You’ll only be without them for a few months! You may even find that you like the decluttered look better also!

Try these three things to get your home ready to sell and your home will stand out among the others!