Getting Ready to Sell Your House?
Getting ready to sell your house? Then it's time to roll up your sleeves and get to work! A small effort will bring a greater reward. Let's get started!
1. Welcome Buyers
For better or worse, buyers do tend to judge a book by its cover. Cheer it up! Paint the door, add flower pots and a new doormat. Mow the lawn, clean up the yard & walkway debris. Constantly pick up after your pets so buyers feel comfortable touring the property. Repair broken screens, door handles, locks, and clean the eavestrough! Make your front door visible and accessible.
2. 3R's - Repair, Replace, Redo
Start small. Do the repairs! Loose or broken handles, faucets, missing light bulbs and trim, doors that don't close properly. Change out the handles on kitchen and bathroom cabinetry. Re-caulk the tub. They may seem to be small things, but you'd be surprised by the negative effect it can have on a buyer 'It makes them stop and think, "What else is broken here"?' A well maintained home, instills confidence in the Buyers mind, that this is a good investment.
3. Paint Wisely
Repaint walls that have unconventional colours. You may love that red accent wall, however if it’s your buyers least favourite colour, it can be a turnoff. You’re pretty safe with a neutral color, such as taupe or grays, because it's rare that someone hates it, but the other benefit is that a light color allows buyers to envision what the walls would look like with the color of their choice. Even if you’re not doing a full-on repainting project, pay special attention to cleaning and touching up baseboards, walls and doors to make the house sparkle.
4. Start Packing
Cramped and cluttered rooms make your house look smaller. Overflowing closets indicated a lack of storage space. Pack up items you don’t use on a daily basis, tidy closets, pantry and cupboards. Take the excess and donate or put in storage. Taking care of this now is one less chore you’ll have to do when it’s time to move.
5. Make it sparkle - Clean, clean, clean
Take special care in the bathroom, making sure the mirror, counters, shower, floors and tile shine. Change the shower curtain and bathmat. Do a clean sweep of counters and windowsills. Buyers scrutinize homes, especially kitchens and bathrooms. Pay special attention to scrubbing, and cleaning windows, light fixtures and switches, then touching up baseboards, walls, and doors to make the house sparkle and look cared-for. Clean rugs and carpets! Cleanliness implies a home well-taken care of. A little elbow grease is worth it!
6. Conduct a Smell Test
Foul odors, even slight ones, can be a deal breaker, and the problem is that you might not even notice them - pet smells or lingering kitchen odors. If the smells are pervasive, you might need to do some deep cleaning, because many buyers are on to “masking techniques” such as candles or plug-in room deodorizers.
7. Does your home scream 1980’s?
Nothing invigorates a home like some new furnishings or even a perfectly chosen mirror. The key is getting advice from a professional. They may reorganize your knickknacks and belongings in a whole new (that is better) way.
Call your realtor, for advice, ideas and checklist.